Enroute controller described a loss of separation event when altitude assignment was confused. The r...

Narrative:

A hawker requested to climb to FL410 after leveling off at FL390. The radar controller climbed the hawker to FL400 and we both listened intently for the read back. The hawker was in close proximity to a CRJ7. We were both were careful to listen to the read back which was FL400. We had shipped CRJ7 before the hawker's request. We watched the hawker and it appeared as if the airplane had leveled off. I watched the initial climb to FL403 and immediately notified the radar controller. The hawker was less than 5 miles when this happened. We corrected his altitude and the radar controller at sector X working CRJ7 responded to their TCAS alert. The radar controller could have called the traffic before or after the request to climb was made to insure they understood that they were not getting their requested altitude right away. Also we could have waited until they passed. Or the r-side could have re-emphasized the assigned altitude and explained when they could expect higher. For the pilot; I would recommend they listen more intently for what is said versus what they want to hear.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Enroute Controller described a loss of separation event when altitude assignment was confused. The reporter noted if traffic information had been issued prior to the clearance the event may have been prevented.

Narrative: A Hawker requested to climb to FL410 after leveling off at FL390. The RADAR Controller climbed the Hawker to FL400 and we both listened intently for the read back. The Hawker was in close proximity to a CRJ7. We were both were careful to listen to the read back which was FL400. We had shipped CRJ7 before the Hawker's request. We watched the Hawker and it appeared as if the airplane had leveled off. I watched the initial climb to FL403 and immediately notified the RADAR Controller. The Hawker was less than 5 miles when this happened. We corrected his altitude and the RADAR Controller at Sector X working CRJ7 responded to their TCAS alert. The RADAR Controller could have called the traffic before or after the request to climb was made to insure they understood that they were not getting their requested altitude right away. Also we could have waited until they passed. Or the R-Side could have re-emphasized the assigned altitude and explained when they could expect higher. For the pilot; I would recommend they listen more intently for what is said versus what they want to hear.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

Attributes
ACN	1102011
Time
Date	201307
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Hawker Horizon (Raytheon)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Climb
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Enroute
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types

Enroute controller described a loss of separation event when altitude assignment was confused. The reporter noted if traffic information had been issued prior to the clearance the event may have been prevented.