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

Attributes
ACN	123779
Time
Date	198909
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : koa
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	123779
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : coordinator
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

The traffic situation was complex, with IFR traffic wanting to amend clrncs to VFR on top and the cancelling IFR. Air carrier X, an small transport, was departing sfo on a 350 degree heading. Air carrier Y, an medium large transport, was departing oak on a 290 degree heading. The ci-1 (coordinator) was extremely busy trying to amend clrncs, showing cancellations, etc, and forgot to stop the air carrier Y departure at 2000'. Off of oakland, when the ARTS acquired air carrier Y, he was already at 2500' climbing into the air carrier X that was at 3200 slowly climbing. I immediately told the air carrier Y jet to maintain his present altitude. I feel problem was caused by a complex workload by both the controller and the coordinator. When the coordinator was so busy releasing aircraft off of oak and coordinating other matters, he forgot to restrict the departures off of oak below the sfo departures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: THE TFC SITUATION WAS COMPLEX, WITH IFR TFC WANTING TO AMEND CLRNCS TO VFR ON TOP AND THE CANCELLING IFR. ACR X, AN SMT, WAS DEPARTING SFO ON A 350 DEG HDG. ACR Y, AN MLG, WAS DEPARTING OAK ON A 290 DEG HDG. THE CI-1 (COORDINATOR) WAS EXTREMELY BUSY TRYING TO AMEND CLRNCS, SHOWING CANCELLATIONS, ETC, AND FORGOT TO STOP THE ACR Y DEP AT 2000'. OFF OF OAKLAND, WHEN THE ARTS ACQUIRED ACR Y, HE WAS ALREADY AT 2500' CLIMBING INTO THE ACR X THAT WAS AT 3200 SLOWLY CLIMBING. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE ACR Y JET TO MAINTAIN HIS PRESENT ALT. I FEEL PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A COMPLEX WORKLOAD BY BOTH THE CTLR AND THE COORDINATOR. WHEN THE COORDINATOR WAS SO BUSY RELEASING ACFT OFF OF OAK AND COORDINATING OTHER MATTERS, HE FORGOT TO RESTRICT THE DEPS OFF OF OAK BELOW THE SFO DEPS.

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.