Air carrier on departure overtook the first resulting in less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	126026
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sat
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu tracon : sat
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	126026
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 28180 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

San antonio handed air carrier X off to me climbing to 13,000. I climbed the aircraft to FL190. A few mins later (about 2), air carrier Y was handed off by san antonio to me climbing to 13,000 about 2000' below and 6 mi behind air carrier X. Air carrier Y was out climbing air carrier X, but by the time air carrier Y came to my frequency, both aircraft were at the same altitude. Air carrier X continued climbing thru 13,000 for FL190. Aircraft lost separation at 13,000 with 4.68 mi. San antonio approach letter of agreement (LOA) states aircraft will be sent to center separated constant or increasing. San antonio approach should have insured separation before shipping aircraft as per LOA. Once aircraft came to my frequency there was nothing to do to stop the error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON DEP OVERTOOK THE FIRST RESULTING IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: SAN ANTONIO HANDED ACR X OFF TO ME CLIMBING TO 13,000. I CLIMBED THE ACFT TO FL190. A FEW MINS LATER (ABOUT 2), ACR Y WAS HANDED OFF BY SAN ANTONIO TO ME CLIMBING TO 13,000 ABOUT 2000' BELOW AND 6 MI BEHIND ACR X. ACR Y WAS OUT CLIMBING ACR X, BUT BY THE TIME ACR Y CAME TO MY FREQ, BOTH ACFT WERE AT THE SAME ALT. ACR X CONTINUED CLIMBING THRU 13,000 FOR FL190. ACFT LOST SEPARATION AT 13,000 WITH 4.68 MI. SAN ANTONIO APCH LETTER OF AGREEMENT (LOA) STATES ACFT WILL BE SENT TO CENTER SEPARATED CONSTANT OR INCREASING. SAN ANTONIO APCH SHOULD HAVE INSURED SEPARATION BEFORE SHIPPING ACFT AS PER LOA. ONCE ACFT CAME TO MY FREQ THERE WAS NOTHING TO DO TO STOP THE ERROR.

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.