Two aircraft were allowed to converge on intersecting airways which resulted in less than standard s...

Attributes
ACN	145913
Time
Date	199005
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : xxx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v244
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	145913
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
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 : 1200 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

At the time of the incident, I was working a radar position that normally has a 'handoff man' or a coordinator position working with the radar position. Due to short staffing the coordinators position was not open. It was necessary for me to effect a lot of landing coordination, while working 1-16 airplanes at any given time. Aircraft a (light transport) was northbound on V334. Aircraft B (small aircraft) was nebnd on V233. Both aircraft were at 5000'. By this time I realized the conflict, I had lost standard sep. I vectored the lta away from the small aircraft. The radar returns did not merge but the aircraft were estimated to have passed 1/5 mi at the same altitude. I am not trying to 'weasel out of my deal.' but I so think a large contributing factor, is the FAA management refusal to accept the fact that the controller work force is seriously understaffed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWO ACFT WERE ALLOWED TO CONVERGE ON INTERSECTING AIRWAYS WHICH RESULTED IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, I WAS WORKING A RADAR POS THAT NORMALLY HAS A 'HDOF MAN' OR A COORDINATOR POS WORKING WITH THE RADAR POS. DUE TO SHORT STAFFING THE COORDINATORS POS WAS NOT OPEN. IT WAS NECESSARY FOR ME TO EFFECT A LOT OF LNDG COORD, WHILE WORKING 1-16 AIRPLANES AT ANY GIVEN TIME. ACFT A (LTT) WAS NBND ON V334. ACFT B (SMA) WAS NEBND ON V233. BOTH ACFT WERE AT 5000'. BY THIS TIME I REALIZED THE CONFLICT, I HAD LOST STANDARD SEP. I VECTORED THE LTA AWAY FROM THE SMA. THE RADAR RETURNS DID NOT MERGE BUT THE ACFT WERE ESTIMATED TO HAVE PASSED 1/5 MI AT THE SAME ALT. I AM NOT TRYING TO 'WEASEL OUT OF MY DEAL.' BUT I SO THINK A LARGE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, IS THE FAA MGMNT REFUSAL TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THE CTLR WORK FORCE IS SERIOUSLY UNDERSTAFFED.

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.

Two aircraft were allowed to converge on intersecting airways which resulted in less than standard separation.