Sarina Gumbert
Central Florida TRACON
18
Just before noon on October 24, 2014, Sarina Gumbert,
a seven-year veteran controller at Central Florida TRACON
(F11), was working the Departure Radar West (DRW)
position. The day before was the final day of the National
Business Aviation Association conference, so traffic was
slower than the previous few days.
At the time, Gumbert was working only one other aircraft
when N7876C entered her airspace and called her.
N7876C was a Cessna Citation Mustang that just departed
Runway 36L from Orlando International Airport (MCO).
The tower controller at MCO had assigned N7876C a 015
heading after departure, which he correctly read back.
When the pilot of N7876C called DRW, he stated that he
was turning right to 015. The read back was correct. The
DRW position typically covers a range of about 45 to 50
miles of airspace. Looking at this much airspace, it is
somewhat difficult to observe, in a split second, when an
aircraft is not flying the correct heading, especially when a
pilot says the heading you expect him or her to state.
Gumbert immediately observed the errant heading the
pilot was flying and instead issued a 360 heading and
asked him what his assigned heading was. The Citation
pilot again read back 015. Gumbert's experience and
instincts told her otherwise, though. Without hesitation,
she told the pilot to turn left immediately and called out
traffic that was departing the east complex of the airport.
At this point, N7876C was tracking 097 degrees, aiming
directly at JetBlue 94, who had just departed Runway 35L
at MCO.
Gumbert: N76C, Orlando Departure, radar contact.
And, uh, turn left heading 3-6-0, please. What was your
assigned heading?
N7876C: 0-1-5.
Gumbert: 06C, turn left immediately, traffic departing
the east complex out of 700 an E-190. It appears you're
eastbound.
