Narrative:

Supervisor advised me, 'you're gonna get busy.' 10 mins later, ZSE started handing off aircraft in groups of 2-4. No regard for LOA, ie, 'in trail,' etc. 15 aircraft on frequency, all on random vectors just to keep sep. It almost always works, but this time it didn't. All 15 aircraft in southeast quadrant within 20 mi of airport. Frightening. While trying to separate the last 4 handoffs and hit 2 final approach courses to sea and bfi, air carrier X large transport and air carrier Y medium large transport were sharing the same general airspace. 1) basically working position alone (arrival radar east); 2) handoff man had 'paper sign-off' on position and was of no help at all (near retirement); 3) supervisor knew situation was developing and did not take steps to prevent same; 4) collision avoidance alarm activated; 5) hollered out loud, 'I need help, god damn it;' 7) supervisor asked if either pilot complained--I answered 'no,' and was told 'no problem, nice job.' when we try to slow things down or spin a handoff to keep control we are not 'team players.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated that both air carrier aircraft were descending. C/a went off, which brought the conflict to his attention. He pointed out traffic to pilots and both aircraft had each other in sight. They were instructed to maintain visibility sep, but after sep was lost. Intimidation as to not being a team player by supervisor was the reason he didn't stop traffic earlier.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X AND Y BOTH DESCENDING CAME WITHIN THREE QUARTER MILES AND 0' VERTICAL SEPARATION. LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: SUPVR ADVISED ME, 'YOU'RE GONNA GET BUSY.' 10 MINS LATER, ZSE STARTED HANDING OFF ACFT IN GROUPS OF 2-4. NO REGARD FOR LOA, IE, 'IN TRAIL,' ETC. 15 ACFT ON FREQ, ALL ON RANDOM VECTORS JUST TO KEEP SEP. IT ALMOST ALWAYS WORKS, BUT THIS TIME IT DIDN'T. ALL 15 ACFT IN SE QUADRANT WITHIN 20 MI OF ARPT. FRIGHTENING. WHILE TRYING TO SEPARATE THE LAST 4 HDOFS AND HIT 2 FINAL APCH COURSES TO SEA AND BFI, ACR X LGT AND ACR Y MLG WERE SHARING THE SAME GENERAL AIRSPACE. 1) BASICALLY WORKING POS ALONE (ARR RADAR E); 2) HDOF MAN HAD 'PAPER SIGN-OFF' ON POS AND WAS OF NO HELP AT ALL (NEAR RETIREMENT); 3) SUPVR KNEW SITUATION WAS DEVELOPING AND DID NOT TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT SAME; 4) COLLISION AVOIDANCE ALARM ACTIVATED; 5) HOLLERED OUT LOUD, 'I NEED HELP, god damn it;' 7) SUPVR ASKED IF EITHER PLT COMPLAINED--I ANSWERED 'NO,' AND WAS TOLD 'NO PROB, NICE JOB.' WHEN WE TRY TO SLOW THINGS DOWN OR SPIN A HDOF TO KEEP CTL WE ARE NOT 'TEAM PLAYERS.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THAT BOTH ACR ACFT WERE DSNDING. C/A WENT OFF, WHICH BROUGHT THE CONFLICT TO HIS ATTN. HE POINTED OUT TFC TO PLTS AND BOTH ACFT HAD EACH OTHER IN SIGHT. THEY WERE INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN VIS SEP, BUT AFTER SEP WAS LOST. INTIMIDATION AS TO NOT BEING A TEAM PLAYER BY SUPVR WAS THE REASON HE DIDN'T STOP TFC EARLIER.

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.