ZAN controller described event where supervisory actions during sector de-combination resulted in an unexpected loss of frequency; setting up a potential loss of separation.

Date: 2009-02 · Aircraft: B737-400 · Phase: descent

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

ZAN controller described event where supervisory actions during sector de-combination resulted in an unexpected loss of frequency; setting up a potential loss of separation.

Narrative

I work at Anchorage ARTCC. I was working sector 03/09/13 combined with a D-Side. Supervisor X and Supervisor Y came to split off Sector 9. The D-Side Controller gave them a briefing on the DF-Side duties of the sector. They began pulling strips; outages and NOTAMS away. Until this point they had not called me on the R-Side or asked what I had in the sector. There was a Dash 8 northbound out of Kodiak at FL200. A B737 was descending to FL210 in the face of the Dash 8. I wanted to ensure the 737 knew to stop his descent altitude at FL210 and began a traffic call when the flights were a factor for each other. Halfway through my traffic call; the frequency I was calling on was removed from my console by Supervisor Z. I turned and said; loud enough for the Supervisor to hear; that they had removed my frequency right in the middle of an important traffic call. I asked my D-Side if he had passed a piece of information during the briefing; and he said he had not. I believe that I waited a few seconds for Supervisor Y to handle the situation and then called the sector to give him some pertinent information that should have been given reference traffic. I recall that I had cleared the 737 via the arc and something else I can't remember right now. Supervisor Y's repeated animosity toward me and the Supervisor's performance caused an important breach in safety for these 2 flights. This situation was completely mishandled.

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.