LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 ACRS AT THE SAME ALT IN AN OVERTAKE SITUATION.
Synopsis
LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 ACRS AT THE SAME ALT IN AN OVERTAKE SITUATION.
Narrative
I WAS RELIEVING THE RADAR CTLR ON R57 WHO JUST HAD A SYSTEMS ERROR. HE TURNED LGT X INTO MLG Y. I TRIED TO TURN MLG Y TO INCREASE SEP WHICH DID NOT WORK. THE BACK ACFT WAS TOO FAST. BOTH ACFT WERE AT FL350. THE R57 CTLR DID NOT SEE THE SECOND DEAL HAPPENING UNTIL I POINTED IT OUT TO HIM. HE TURNED LGT X 40 DEGS RIGHT; THEN 90 DEGS RIGHT WHICH DID NOT WORK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR WAS STANDING NEAR THE SUPVR'S CONSOLE WHEN AN ERROR WAS DETECTED IN R57. RPTR WAS SENT TO THE SECTOR BY THE SUPVR TO RELIEVE THE CTLR INVOLVED SO THE INVESTIGATION COULD BEGIN. WHEN THE RPTR ARRIVED AT THE SECTOR; HE IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO ASSUME THE POS. DURING THE BRIEFING; RPTR SAW ANOTHER POTENTIAL LOSS OF SEP STARTING TO HAPPEN. HE ISSUED A TURN TO THE ACFT THAT WAS BEING OVERTAKEN AND THE CTLR BEING RELIEVED THEN RESUMED THE POS AND DID OTHER THINGS TO TRY TO AVERT A SECOND OPERROR. ALL THE REMEDIAL ACTION WERE FRUITLESS. RPTR STATED THAT THESE KIND OF SITUATIONS ARE CAUSED BY THE LACK OF TRNING OR METHODS BEING USED TO TRAIN THE NEW PERSONNEL IN THE CENTER. HE SAID THAT ALL TO OFTEN; THE NEW CONTRACT INSTRUCTORS DO NOT SCREEN OUT PERSONNEL THAT DO NOT HAVE AN APTITUDE FOR ATC; BUT RELY ON THE OJT INSTRS TO WEED OUT THE TRNEES THAT ARE NOT CAPABLE OF SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THE TRNING PROGRAM. HE RECOMMENDED A RETURN TO THE OLD DAYS OF BEING MORE STRICT AND EVERYONE IN THE TRNING NETWORK BEING MORE CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT FAILING THE ONES THAT MUST BE FAILED.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.