Narrative:

Medium large transport descended to FL240 handed off and switched to R22, then giving pilot discretion descent (85 mi southwest ric) to FL210. Small transport southbound at FL250 and mlt southbound at FL250. Small transport was descended to FL240 to maintain sep with mlt. Medium large transport which should have been descending to FL210 was still level at FL240 and came in conflict with small transport. While coordinating mgt descent with R22, the D32 controller stopped small transport at FL250 and turned aircraft to try to keep loss of sep at a minimum. Supplemental information from acn 103230: I returned to the area from a break and was assigned D32 'manual position' at gordonsville high sector. The radar controller had been manning the sector by herself, but I do not know for how long. Traffic was moderate and congested in an area of the sector which I personally consider to be a complex area. At the time I plugged into the manual position, the operation appeared to be normal. When I plugged into D32, the radar controller was talking to R36 concerning mlt at FL250. R32 then descended small transport to FL240. I looked at the radar scope and saw that medium large transport was at FL240 and pointed this out ot R32. R32 then went to sbv(left) controller to effect something. I do not know what her plan was. C/a had triggered. I then transmitted for small transport to stop descent, turn right to a heading of 270 degrees and climb to FL250. I then immediately moved to the handoff position. This occurred within 3 mins of my arrival at the sector. Too much traffic. Not enough people since 1981. Too long on positions. FAA procrastination and no sense of priorities.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT WAS DESCENDED TO AN ALT OCCUPIED BY ANOTHER ACFT. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: MLG DSNDED TO FL240 HANDED OFF AND SWITCHED TO R22, THEN GIVING PLT DISCRETION DSCNT (85 MI SW RIC) TO FL210. SMT SBND AT FL250 AND MLT SBND AT FL250. SMT WAS DSNDED TO FL240 TO MAINTAIN SEP WITH MLT. MLG WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN DSNDING TO FL210 WAS STILL LEVEL AT FL240 AND CAME IN CONFLICT WITH SMT. WHILE COORDINATING MGT DSCNT WITH R22, THE D32 CTLR STOPPED SMT AT FL250 AND TURNED ACFT TO TRY TO KEEP LOSS OF SEP AT A MINIMUM. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 103230: I RETURNED TO THE AREA FROM A BREAK AND WAS ASSIGNED D32 'MANUAL POS' AT GORDONSVILLE HIGH SECTOR. THE RADAR CTLR HAD BEEN MANNING THE SECTOR BY HERSELF, BUT I DO NOT KNOW FOR HOW LONG. TFC WAS MODERATE AND CONGESTED IN AN AREA OF THE SECTOR WHICH I PERSONALLY CONSIDER TO BE A COMPLEX AREA. AT THE TIME I PLUGGED INTO THE MANUAL POS, THE OPERATION APPEARED TO BE NORMAL. WHEN I PLUGGED INTO D32, THE RADAR CTLR WAS TALKING TO R36 CONCERNING MLT AT FL250. R32 THEN DSNDED SMT TO FL240. I LOOKED AT THE RADAR SCOPE AND SAW THAT MLG WAS AT FL240 AND POINTED THIS OUT OT R32. R32 THEN WENT TO SBV(L) CTLR TO EFFECT SOMETHING. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT HER PLAN WAS. C/A HAD TRIGGERED. I THEN XMITTED FOR SMT TO STOP DSCNT, TURN RIGHT TO A HDG OF 270 DEGS AND CLB TO FL250. I THEN IMMEDIATELY MOVED TO THE HDOF POS. THIS OCCURRED WITHIN 3 MINS OF MY ARR AT THE SECTOR. TOO MUCH TFC. NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE SINCE 1981. TOO LONG ON POSITIONS. FAA PROCRASTINATION AND NO SENSE OF PRIORITIES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.