Air carrier was issued a descent through the altitude of another aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	109156
Time
Date	198904
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gbn
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab tower : ral
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	109156
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	109439
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 22200 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X psp to tus at FL330, being worked by an ultra high altitude sector controller (FL330-600) was descended to FL240 west/O a handoff or pointout to the underlying high altitude sector (FL240-310). At XX52Z minimum radar sep was lost between air carrier X and air carrier Y atl to san at FL310. The closest proximity between aircraft was 1000' and 3.7 mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WAS ISSUED A DESCENT THROUGH THE ALT OF ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: ACR X PSP TO TUS AT FL330, BEING WORKED BY AN ULTRA HIGH ALT SECTOR CTLR (FL330-600) WAS DSNDED TO FL240 W/O A HDOF OR POINTOUT TO THE UNDERLYING HIGH ALT SECTOR (FL240-310). AT XX52Z MINIMUM RADAR SEP WAS LOST BTWN ACR X AND ACR Y ATL TO SAN AT FL310. THE CLOSEST PROX BTWN ACFT WAS 1000' AND 3.7 MI.

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.