Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 11
Troubleshooting; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Procedure; Human Factors; Equipment / Tooling
Aircraft X Departed TNCM and was looking for higher altitude. I climbed him to FL320. Ask him to say the SOCCO estimate; Mach number and altitude request. He requested FL370 M.75 and gave an estimate of SOCCO at XA28Z. My D-Side told me that FL370 was not available and to stop him at FL340. I did and the pilot stated that he was a medical flight and that at FL340 he would not reach his destination. D-side informed me that next available was FL390. I asked if he was able and he said yes. I climbed him and told him to give me a good rate of climb for traffic cause he was climbing good and continued working the outbound push out of SJU; STT; TNCM and COY. Sector 6 was very busy but it was do able; when I continued my scan I saw Aircraft X slowing his rate of climb. I did my calculations and knew it was going to be a factor with Aircraft Y. I called him and assign a 360 heading with no reply from him. Told him to expedite; no reply. At this time he was floating FL361; next hit; FL362. My scope was filled with targets and he wasn't responding. When he finally responded was questioning if the heading assignment was for him. Sector 6 was getting busier by the minute and this guy wasn't responding. He was already in ZNY's airspace when I saw him turn leaving 366. I called the Aircraft Y to verify his position; no luck. Told the D-side to contact commercial radio to put him on our frequency. Nothing. I continued working and never got a read back that the aircraft was leveled at FL390. I transmitted on the blind; no answer. I continued to call Aircraft Y with no luck. He finally came on frequency 80 miles after. I radar identified him and kept working when he asked if he had traffic approaching SOCCO. I explained to him that I had lost communications with him and that's when he told me that he had responded to a RA (resolution advisory). I never saw how close they got since it happened on non-radar. Our frequencies over the ocean are bad. We transmit constantly with no answer. Transmitters and receivers are constantly malfunctioning and is a daily headache. This situation could have been avoided with good frequencies.
I was given a quick briefing. I took the position (D4D6) and it was super busy with a lot of aircraft on the boards and on the scope. My reliever had to stay and help. Lots of information to get coordinated; missing flight plans; printer wouldn't stop printing; and a few calls. Don't know how long I was on position but ZNY called me up to tell me Aircraft Y had to respond to a resolution advisory (RA). I replied roger and that was it. Kept working because it was too busy. I yelled out for at least a tracker for my radar man but there wasn't anybody. I really didn't know who Aircraft Y was in conflict with; until now. Frequencies were congested and were not working properly for what I could hear from the R-side. Frequencies need much better coverage/range. Staffing needs to improve drastically. We need the TMU (traffic management unit) up and running as soon as possible. They could have seen this coming. Supervisor needs to be more attentive to what's going on each sector and how are they going to be impacted. If R6 gets slammed by traffic; R2 is going to get it very soon. Departures should have been stop when it got busy; way before the sector got 'out of control.'Co-workers seemed to not want to ask for help. We need a briefing on this; something that lets people understand that they are not super human; we all need help at some point. D-sides seem to have to ask for help (A-side). It's the season; A-sides should be scheduled too! Managers need to plan the day better. Extra bodies and overtime would be a great help.
ZSU Controllers report of a loss of separation over the ocean due to poor radio coverage and an aircraft not climbing with a good rate for traffic.