Air carrier was descended through an occupied altitude, resulting in less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	142785
Time
Date	199004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : har
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny tower : phl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 4
ASRS Report	142785
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X was eastbound at FL250 and air carrier Y was wbound FL280, descending to FL220. Vectors issued to both aircraft, because vertical sep was nonexistent. Vectors were issued too late. Less than standard separation (4.0 mi).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WAS DESCENDED THROUGH AN OCCUPIED ALT, RESULTING IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: ACR X WAS EBND AT FL250 AND ACR Y WAS WBOUND FL280, DSNDING TO FL220. VECTORS ISSUED TO BOTH ACFT, BECAUSE VERT SEP WAS NONEXISTENT. VECTORS WERE ISSUED TOO LATE. LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION (4.0 MI).

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.