Less than standard separation between air carrier X and mlt Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	126479
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pqi
State Reference	ME
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18500 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 2
ASRS Report	126479
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : non radar
Qualification	controller : developmental
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 26400 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X was cleared off loring AFB by my radar associate controller. At time of handoff, air carrier X was climbing. The right/a controller is responsible to issue altitudes which keep departure aircraft separated from en route traffic. Air carrier X came over showing FL180 as altitude reading out. I acknowledged call-on, and taking it for granted my right/a had issued FL180 to keep the traffic clean, I reiterated 'maintain FL180.' air carrier X indicated he had been cleared to FL200. Loss of sep with mlt Y at FL190 was 4.4 mi, 500'. The operations with loring are such that they own 17000' and below, but always clear aircraft out of their unconditional use airspace. This should not be done and should be addressed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated the 2 aircraft involved were air carrier X large transport, aircraft 2 mlt. LOA between ZBW and liz states liz will clear aircraft to altitude assigned by ZBW. The manual controller cleared air carrier X to FL200, but should have been FL180. Mlt was at FL190. C/a activated. Manual controller was a deviation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: ACR X WAS CLRED OFF LORING AFB BY MY RADAR ASSOCIATE CTLR. AT TIME OF HDOF, ACR X WAS CLBING. THE R/A CTLR IS RESPONSIBLE TO ISSUE ALTS WHICH KEEP DEP ACFT SEPARATED FROM ENRTE TFC. ACR X CAME OVER SHOWING FL180 AS ALT READING OUT. I ACKNOWLEDGED CALL-ON, AND TAKING IT FOR GRANTED MY R/A HAD ISSUED FL180 TO KEEP THE TFC CLEAN, I REITERATED 'MAINTAIN FL180.' ACR X INDICATED HE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL200. LOSS OF SEP WITH MLT Y AT FL190 WAS 4.4 MI, 500'. THE OPS WITH LORING ARE SUCH THAT THEY OWN 17000' AND BELOW, BUT ALWAYS CLR ACFT OUT OF THEIR UNCONDITIONAL USE AIRSPACE. THIS SHOULD NOT BE DONE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THE 2 ACFT INVOLVED WERE ACR X LGT, ACFT 2 MLT. LOA BTWN ZBW AND LIZ STATES LIZ WILL CLR ACFT TO ALT ASSIGNED BY ZBW. THE MANUAL CTLR CLRED ACR X TO FL200, BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FL180. MLT WAS AT FL190. C/A ACTIVATED. MANUAL CTLR WAS A DEV.

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.