Cpr X had less than standard separation from air carrier Z. System error.

Attributes
ACN	142215
Time
Date	199004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pih
State Reference	ID
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
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 : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 19
ASRS Report	142215
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 13
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 27600 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error

Narrative:

I cleared cpr X pih V21 slc maintain 10000'. I got busy. Supervisor sent controller to help. He cleared 2 aircraft--one aircraft pih J54 boi no factor, but then showed up on the radar. His data block started flashing with 1 or 2 VFR aircraft which the intruder alert software had generated in the vicinity of pih. I climbed cpr X to 11000' not realizing air carrier Z was off climbing VFR to 11000'. When air carrier Z reported on the frequency out of 9400' or so the data block jumped on the air carrier Z target and started flashing with data block of cpr X who was at 9900' climbing to 11000'. I was not sharp enough to catch the VFR climb of air carrier Z and not sharp enough to stop cpr X at 10000' and expedite air carrier Z's VFR climb. Distance was 4.6 NM from cpr X in front and air carrier Z in back. Supplemental information from acn 142211: air carrier Z cleared pih V21 slc VFR 11000'. Air carrier Z faster than cpr X. Radar controller subsequently cleared air carrier Z maintain 10000'. Before cpr X reached 11000', air carrier Z was less than 5 mi away at 10000'. During this time I estimate more than 15 radar contacts plus several VFR traffic alerts (i.e., flashing data blocks in vicinity of pih). Data man was coordinating with pih tower and ida tower for departure clrncs also coordinating with flow control who had made an unusual requirement that all departures en route to slc get release from them. Because of the complexity of the sector at that point the coordination between the radar and data man was not complete, so radar man was not aware air carrier Z was climbing VFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: I CLRED CPR X PIH V21 SLC MAINTAIN 10000'. I GOT BUSY. SUPVR SENT CTLR TO HELP. HE CLRED 2 ACFT--ONE ACFT PIH J54 BOI NO FACTOR, BUT THEN SHOWED UP ON THE RADAR. HIS DATA BLOCK STARTED FLASHING WITH 1 OR 2 VFR ACFT WHICH THE INTRUDER ALERT SOFTWARE HAD GENERATED IN THE VICINITY OF PIH. I CLBED CPR X TO 11000' NOT REALIZING ACR Z WAS OFF CLBING VFR TO 11000'. WHEN ACR Z RPTED ON THE FREQ OUT OF 9400' OR SO THE DATA BLOCK JUMPED ON THE ACR Z TARGET AND STARTED FLASHING WITH DATA BLOCK OF CPR X WHO WAS AT 9900' CLBING TO 11000'. I WAS NOT SHARP ENOUGH TO CATCH THE VFR CLB OF ACR Z AND NOT SHARP ENOUGH TO STOP CPR X AT 10000' AND EXPEDITE ACR Z'S VFR CLB. DISTANCE WAS 4.6 NM FROM CPR X IN FRONT AND ACR Z IN BACK. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 142211: ACR Z CLRED PIH V21 SLC VFR 11000'. ACR Z FASTER THAN CPR X. RADAR CTLR SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED ACR Z MAINTAIN 10000'. BEFORE CPR X REACHED 11000', ACR Z WAS LESS THAN 5 MI AWAY AT 10000'. DURING THIS TIME I ESTIMATE MORE THAN 15 RADAR CONTACTS PLUS SEVERAL VFR TFC ALERTS (I.E., FLASHING DATA BLOCKS IN VICINITY OF PIH). DATA MAN WAS COORDINATING WITH PIH TWR AND IDA TWR FOR DEP CLRNCS ALSO COORDINATING WITH FLOW CTL WHO HAD MADE AN UNUSUAL REQUIREMENT THAT ALL DEPS ENRTE TO SLC GET RELEASE FROM THEM. BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THE SECTOR AT THAT POINT THE COORD BTWN THE RADAR AND DATA MAN WAS NOT COMPLETE, SO RADAR MAN WAS NOT AWARE ACR Z WAS CLBING VFR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.