Air carrier X and air carrier Y had less than standard separation. System error.

Attributes
ACN	115138
Time
Date	198906
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : azq
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 32400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 17
ASRS Report	115138
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 1300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

I was working the handoff position for bkw high sector. There was a line of thunderstorms between hnn and tys. Air carrier X was swbnd deviating east for WX at FL310. Air carrier Y was nwbnd out of FL290, climbing to FL330. ZTL was attempting to handoff air carrier Y to us. I requested that ZTL turn air carrier Y 20 degrees right for traffic. They advised they were unable due to traffic at FL310 swbnd parallel with the sector boundary. I requested that they expedite air carrier Y to FL330 and miss air carrier X. I also advised them that air carrier would not turn right because of the WX. Air carrier X could not descend because there was traffic swbnd less than 1 mi at FL290. Air carrier X could not be turned left due to traffic at FL310. Both aircraft crossed the sector boundary with less than standard separation (air carrier Y was climbing out first officer FL324). After the incident many aircraft started deviating around this WX 70 mi or more from their route of flight strip processing. Point-outs and handoffs were difficult and sometimes late. Proper flow control was needed. No flow was in effect.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X AND ACR Y HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE HDOF POS FOR BKW HIGH SECTOR. THERE WAS A LINE OF TSTMS BTWN HNN AND TYS. ACR X WAS SWBND DEVIATING E FOR WX AT FL310. ACR Y WAS NWBND OUT OF FL290, CLBING TO FL330. ZTL WAS ATTEMPTING TO HDOF ACR Y TO US. I REQUESTED THAT ZTL TURN ACR Y 20 DEGS RIGHT FOR TFC. THEY ADVISED THEY WERE UNABLE DUE TO TFC AT FL310 SWBND PARALLEL WITH THE SECTOR BOUNDARY. I REQUESTED THAT THEY EXPEDITE ACR Y TO FL330 AND MISS ACR X. I ALSO ADVISED THEM THAT ACR WOULD NOT TURN RIGHT BECAUSE OF THE WX. ACR X COULD NOT DSND BECAUSE THERE WAS TFC SWBND LESS THAN 1 MI AT FL290. ACR X COULD NOT BE TURNED LEFT DUE TO TFC AT FL310. BOTH ACFT CROSSED THE SECTOR BOUNDARY WITH LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION (ACR Y WAS CLBING OUT FO FL324). AFTER THE INCIDENT MANY ACFT STARTED DEVIATING AROUND THIS WX 70 MI OR MORE FROM THEIR ROUTE OF FLT STRIP PROCESSING. POINT-OUTS AND HDOFS WERE DIFFICULT AND SOMETIMES LATE. PROPER FLOW CTL WAS NEEDED. NO FLOW WAS IN EFFECT.

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.