1997-04 · NASA ASRS report 366804
ARTCC RADAR CTLR DSNDED A C650 THROUGH THE ALT OF AN L1011 WITH LTSS. RPTR ERROR ADMITTED.
I WAS WORKING THE R-SIDE AT 2 SECTORS COMBINED AT 1 POS. I HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN AT THE D-SIDE; AND SHORTLY AFTER I RELIEVED THE RADAR CTLR I MYSELF GOT A D-SIDE. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE METEOROLOGICAL ACTIVITY IN THE AREA; BUT I CAN'T SAY THAT WX WAS MUCH OF A FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT AT ALL. I HAD 10 ACFT ON FREQ; AND ABOUT 3 OF THEM WERE EXPERIENCING VERY BUMPY RIDES AND REQUESTING RIDE RPTS AND/OR ALT CHANGES. THE C650 CHKED ON AT FL410 AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER REQUESTED LOWER. THE ACFT WAS LNDG AT AN ATLANTA SATELLITE ARPT AND ALSO NEEDED A ROUTING CHANGE. KNOWING I HAD TFC AT BOTH FL350 AND FL390 (L1011); I DSNDED THE C650 TO FL370 ON HIS PRESENT HDG AND CLRED THE PLANE TO JOIN THE ARR UPON REACHING FL370. AS I THOUGHT THE L1011 WAS ROUTED VIA VXV-J99-IIU; THIS CLRNC WOULD HAVE ENSURED SEPARATION. AS THE L1011 REACHED VXV AND CONTINUED WBOUND ON J46; THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED AND I REALIZED THE PLANE'S TRUE RTE; VXV-J46- BNA. I IMMEDIATELY ISSUED SHARP R TURNS TO BOTH ACFT AND REQUESTED A RPT REACHING FL370 FROM THE C650 ASAP. BUT; AS THEY SAY AROUND HERE; 'MY ACTIONS WERE UNTIMELY AND SEPARATION WAS LOST.' STUPID DEAL; IN SHORT. WHAT BOTHERS ME MOST ABOUT IT IS THAT NOT ONLY DID I SEE THE TFC; BUT WAS SURE I HAD THEM SEPARATED. MEA CULPA.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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