Narrative:

I was vectoring a southbound medium large transport on a 130 degree heading off J157 for sequencing behind another aircraft. The mdt was following the medium large transport on J157. I descended the mdt from FL230 to FL200. The air crew asked if it was pilot's discretion, and I said no, to 'start down now!' to complicate the situation, the metering program was in effect for denver stapleton airport. Delays were not supposed to start until about XX30 local with maximum delays at 5 mins. While trying to get my vectoring sequence, the supervisor in charge was distracting me trying to get me to turn out aircraft to meet metering times. Because of the distraction by the supervisor, I was missing timely information from my assistant of the situation I had put myself in by turning the aircraft. The mgt subsequently was descended down through the mdt which appeared to be descending very slowly. Had the metering system worked properly and the supervisor not distracted me, I would not have lost concentration on a delicate situation and turned the mlt into the path of the mdt. The metering system at denver needs work because times are not accurate and in some cases timely.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG WAS DESCENDED AND VECTORED TOWARD AN IFR MDT. LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION OCCURRED.

Narrative: I WAS VECTORING A SBND MLG ON A 130 DEG HDG OFF J157 FOR SEQUENCING BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT. THE MDT WAS FOLLOWING THE MLG ON J157. I DSNDED THE MDT FROM FL230 TO FL200. THE AIR CREW ASKED IF IT WAS PLT'S DISCRETION, AND I SAID NO, TO 'START DOWN NOW!' TO COMPLICATE THE SITUATION, THE METERING PROGRAM WAS IN EFFECT FOR DENVER STAPLETON ARPT. DELAYS WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO START UNTIL ABOUT XX30 LCL WITH MAX DELAYS AT 5 MINS. WHILE TRYING TO GET MY VECTORING SEQUENCE, THE SUPVR IN CHARGE WAS DISTRACTING ME TRYING TO GET ME TO TURN OUT ACFT TO MEET METERING TIMES. BECAUSE OF THE DISTR BY THE SUPVR, I WAS MISSING TIMELY INFO FROM MY ASSISTANT OF THE SITUATION I HAD PUT MYSELF IN BY TURNING THE ACFT. THE MGT SUBSEQUENTLY WAS DSNDED DOWN THROUGH THE MDT WHICH APPEARED TO BE DSNDING VERY SLOWLY. HAD THE METERING SYS WORKED PROPERLY AND THE SUPVR NOT DISTRACTED ME, I WOULD NOT HAVE LOST CONCENTRATION ON A DELICATE SITUATION AND TURNED THE MLT INTO THE PATH OF THE MDT. THE METERING SYS AT DENVER NEEDS WORK BECAUSE TIMES ARE NOT ACCURATE AND IN SOME CASES TIMELY.

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.