Large Transport
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 8
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Training / Qualification; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Procedure; Human Factors
Aircraft X was issued a crossing restriction to cross ASHEN at FL300. Aircraft Y was traveling eastbound level at FL370. When I took the handoff on Aircraft Y and saw that the aircraft was landing at PHL I assumed he was direct DJB which should have kept Aircraft Y north of Aircraft X descending with the crossing restriction. I was unware of these two aircraft being in conflict because I thought they were route separated. I didn't realize that Aircraft Y was direct EWC and not direct DJB until the conflict alert went off. Prior to the conflict alert going off on Aircraft X and Aircraft Y my attention was diverted to another traffic situation that I was dealing with. Aircraft Z at FL370 and Aircraft A at FL370 with good speeds. The radar associate who is only certified at Geauga/Marblehead D-sides reference this traffic to me. I figured it would be a good learning experience so I asked him what he thought need to be done with those aircraft. He looked kind of puzzled with my response; so I told him if he thought they were in conflict to reach out and do something (at that moment I was not talking Aircraft Z). My D-side called the sector that was working him and gave him instruction to turn him 30 degrees right and asked for control. This action took a situation that was not traffic and made it a definite conflict. Aircraft Z and Aircraft A were now coming together at FL370. I thought that allowing my D-side to make this decision would be a learning experience for him and wanted him to see what affects his action would have in turning the aircraft right into him. I turned Aircraft A 25 degrees right and descended him to FL360. The conflict alert then went off on Aircraft X and Aircraft Y. When the conflict alert went off Aircraft Y was at Aircraft X's 4 o'clock and they looked to be separated by 5 miles as Aircraft X started his descent. After I have taken care of correcting the traffic situation with Aircraft Z and Aircraft A. I cleared Aircraft Z back on course and was waiting for Aircraft A to clear Aircraft A laterally and climb them back to FL370 and put them back on course. I was rushing at get everyone back on course and back at the correct altitude and I cleared Aircraft A back on course direct SLT KAVP. This was a turn back towards the northeast and directly into Aircraft B. I thought I had ample space between Aircraft A and Aircraft B but Aircraft A made a really tight turn back to SLT. I then told Aircraft B to turn 15 degrees right but the transmission was stepped on because they didn't comply. Aircraft B actually questioned if the transmission was for him; and I repeated the transmission a second time. Even though Aircraft B never looked like he turned I assigned it as precaution. I still thought I have 5 miles lateral separation. Even though I'm certified on radars as a supervisor and I'm not certified as a trainer in the area. I should have left the training situations to the trainers and corrected my D-sides actions immediately. I know that he is certified at these D-sides but he's very green and like anybody anyone is susceptible to making mistakes.
The D-side tried to use vectors to separate Aircraft Z at FL370 and Aircraft A at FL370. This made the problem worse. The R-side descended Aircraft A to FL360 and issued vectors. While this is happening Aircraft X on a course of J60 ASHEN BAGEL PANGG3 MDW begins a descent at pilot discretion from FL380 to FL300 and passes within 4.92 miles of Aircraft Y at FL370 on a course of EWC JST BOJID1 PHL. Afterwards the R-side turned Aircraft A back on course; but the turn was too soon and put Aircraft A in conflict with Aircraft B at FL360. Realizing the mistake the R-side climbed Aircraft A to FL370 and issued a vector of 15R to Aircraft B. Aircraft B did not understand the vector and the vector had to be re-issued. The aircraft came within 4.98 miles. Better situation awareness on the part of the R-side and the D-side.
ZOB FLM while working traffic observed two aircraft on different routes and is not aware of a conflict. Moments later FLM observes two other aircraft in not in conflict and asks the developmental handoff what he thinks he should do. Developmental then suggests a 30 degree turn; which now makes it a conflict. Moments after the first conflict the two aircraft he did not think were in conflict now alarm and are in conflict resulting in a loss of separation. FLM thought he was helping the training of the developmental but realized he should have just worked the traffic and left the instruction to a qualified instructor.