Pilot took an altitude assignment for another aircraft and descended in front of another aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	148702
Time
Date	199006
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gso
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl tracon : clt tracon : gso
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
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	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	148702
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

I was working south radar at gso. An medium large transport outbnd from gso to clt at 10000' when 8 mi from the gso/clt boundary. I observed and called traffic descending in front of the medium large transport, 'traffic 12 O'clock 3 mi at 10500' unverified'. Medium large transport hesitates and then states he has the traffic in sight. I full route the unknown acfts code and discover it is not a VFR aircraft but an IFR large transport on the majic arrival clt. I told the supervisor, mr X and gave him the 2 flight plans of the act involved. I told him I think an error just occurred (whether pilot error, clt approach or ZTL error I don't know). Clt approach had already taken the medium large transport handoff from me and I was going to switch frequency when I observed the traffic. This happened more than 40 mi from clt approach radar antenna which requires 5 mi sep. I do not know who was working the other aircraft, large transport, at the time of the incident but it was quickly climbed back up to 12000'. My supervisor, mr X, said that he though the large transport took someone elses altitude assignment and descended. I advised him I would need the flight numbers as I was going to file a NASA report. His reply was that he threw the flight strips in the garbage. Sorry I no longer have the numbers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT TOOK AN ALT ASSIGNMENT FOR ANOTHER ACFT AND DESCENDED IN FRONT OF ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING S RADAR AT GSO. AN MLG OUTBND FROM GSO TO CLT AT 10000' WHEN 8 MI FROM THE GSO/CLT BOUNDARY. I OBSERVED AND CALLED TFC DSNDING IN FRONT OF THE MLG, 'TFC 12 O'CLOCK 3 MI AT 10500' UNVERIFIED'. MLG HESITATES AND THEN STATES HE HAS THE TFC IN SIGHT. I FULL RTE THE UNKNOWN ACFTS CODE AND DISCOVER IT IS NOT A VFR ACFT BUT AN IFR LGT ON THE MAJIC ARR CLT. I TOLD THE SUPVR, MR X AND GAVE HIM THE 2 FLT PLANS OF THE ACT INVOLVED. I TOLD HIM I THINK AN ERROR JUST OCCURRED (WHETHER PLT ERROR, CLT APCH OR ZTL ERROR I DON'T KNOW). CLT APCH HAD ALREADY TAKEN THE MLG HDOF FROM ME AND I WAS GOING TO SWITCH FREQ WHEN I OBSERVED THE TFC. THIS HAPPENED MORE THAN 40 MI FROM CLT APCH RADAR ANTENNA WHICH REQUIRES 5 MI SEP. I DO NOT KNOW WHO WAS WORKING THE OTHER ACFT, LGT, AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT BUT IT WAS QUICKLY CLBED BACK UP TO 12000'. MY SUPVR, MR X, SAID THAT HE THOUGH THE LGT TOOK SOMEONE ELSES ALT ASSIGNMENT AND DSNDED. I ADVISED HIM I WOULD NEED THE FLT NUMBERS AS I WAS GOING TO FILE A NASA RPT. HIS REPLY WAS THAT HE THREW THE FLT STRIPS IN THE GARBAGE. SORRY I NO LONGER HAVE THE NUMBERS.

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.