ARTCC radar controller failed to provide standard separation between 2 aircraft under his control.

Attributes
ACN	144243
Time
Date	199005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jst
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tower : ads
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	144243
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
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	horizontal : 25000 vertical : 900
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I told the pilot to do something and he did not comply in an expeditious manner. Traffic was heavy at the time plus 20 mi in-trail restrictions to phl. Small transport X cleared direct jst from east of ewc, maintaining FL290. Medium large transport Y cleared direct jst from south of hlg, maintaining FL270. Approximately 25 mi northwest of jst small transport X was cleared to descend 'now' and maintain FL240. Small transport X was cleared direct cofax direct lrp, he did not understand where cofax was, so I advised him the location. It's on the charts. When the C/a went off I cleared medium large transport Y to turn 40 degrees right, descend and maintain FL260. I cleared small transport X to turn left 40 degrees, maintain FL270. (He wa descending out of FL270 at that time.) small transport X read back 180 degree heading. I then cleared him to turn left heading 360 degrees. By then he was below FL270. Small transport X was told to climb back to FL270. Also, when the C/a went off, small transport X appeared on a 140 degree heading for jst, not for cofax. Quality assurance did talk to the pilot after he landed at phl. To a certain degree, he admitted he did not descend as fast as he should have.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR FAILED TO PROVIDE STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 ACFT UNDER HIS CONTROL.

Narrative: I TOLD THE PLT TO DO SOMETHING AND HE DID NOT COMPLY IN AN EXPEDITIOUS MANNER. TFC WAS HEAVY AT THE TIME PLUS 20 MI IN-TRAIL RESTRICTIONS TO PHL. SMT X CLRED DIRECT JST FROM E OF EWC, MAINTAINING FL290. MLG Y CLRED DIRECT JST FROM S OF HLG, MAINTAINING FL270. APPROX 25 MI NW OF JST SMT X WAS CLRED TO DSND 'NOW' AND MAINTAIN FL240. SMT X WAS CLRED DIRECT COFAX DIRECT LRP, HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHERE COFAX WAS, SO I ADVISED HIM THE LOCATION. IT'S ON THE CHARTS. WHEN THE C/A WENT OFF I CLRED MLG Y TO TURN 40 DEGS RIGHT, DSND AND MAINTAIN FL260. I CLRED SMT X TO TURN LEFT 40 DEGS, MAINTAIN FL270. (HE WA DSNDING OUT OF FL270 AT THAT TIME.) SMT X READ BACK 180 DEG HDG. I THEN CLRED HIM TO TURN LEFT HDG 360 DEGS. BY THEN HE WAS BELOW FL270. SMT X WAS TOLD TO CLB BACK TO FL270. ALSO, WHEN THE C/A WENT OFF, SMT X APPEARED ON A 140 DEG HDG FOR JST, NOT FOR COFAX. QUALITY ASSURANCE DID TALK TO THE PLT AFTER HE LANDED AT PHL. TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, HE ADMITTED HE DID NOT DSND AS FAST AS HE SHOULD HAVE.

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.