ARTCC radar controller 'rogered' a flight crew transmission and aircraft left assigned altitude which resulted on loss of separation with another aircraft.

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Attributes
ACN	150994
Time
Date	199007
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rbv
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 8 controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	150994
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 21000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Mlt flying inbound to mcguire AFB was on route V139 drift V312 cyn wri. Aircraft checked on descending to 16000 out of approximately 23000' at sardi intersection. After aircraft entered my sector (manta) I descended mlt to 10000'. Second aircraft (medium large transport) was inbound to kennedy via owenz camrn jfk. Aircraft checked on descending from FL210 to 14000'. Medium large transport issued clearance to cross 15 mi east of camrn at 9000'. Medium large transport was level at 9000'. The radar controller (me) was being relieved by the handoff controller. A full briefing was unnecessary since the hot dog controller knew all of the details of he sector. (Status of warning areas, necessary coords, traffic conditions etc). As the handoff controller plugged in and as I was unplugging, mlt called both controllers were unsure of mlt's message (he called asking if he was cleared to 6000'). The handoff controller (now the radar controller) felt the call was the mlt calling level at 10000' (as I did). He therefore said 'mlt, roger.' the mlt then began a descent which caused a loss of separation with medium large transport. This was obviously a communication error incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR 'ROGERED' A FLC TRANSMISSION AND ACFT LEFT ASSIGNED ALT WHICH RESULTED ON LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: MLT FLYING INBND TO MCGUIRE AFB WAS ON RTE V139 DRIFT V312 CYN WRI. ACFT CHKED ON DSNDING TO 16000 OUT OF APPROX 23000' AT SARDI INTXN. AFTER ACFT ENTERED MY SECTOR (MANTA) I DSNDED MLT TO 10000'. SECOND ACFT (MLG) WAS INBND TO KENNEDY VIA OWENZ CAMRN JFK. ACFT CHKED ON DSNDING FROM FL210 TO 14000'. MLG ISSUED CLRNC TO CROSS 15 MI E OF CAMRN AT 9000'. MLG WAS LEVEL AT 9000'. THE RADAR CTLR (ME) WAS BEING RELIEVED BY THE HDOF CTLR. A FULL BRIEFING WAS UNNECESSARY SINCE THE HOT DOG CTLR KNEW ALL OF THE DETAILS OF HE SECTOR. (STATUS OF WARNING AREAS, NECESSARY COORDS, TFC CONDITIONS ETC). AS THE HDOF CTLR PLUGGED IN AND AS I WAS UNPLUGGING, MLT CALLED BOTH CTLRS WERE UNSURE OF MLT'S MESSAGE (HE CALLED ASKING IF HE WAS CLRED TO 6000'). THE HDOF CTLR (NOW THE RADAR CTLR) FELT THE CALL WAS THE MLT CALLING LEVEL AT 10000' (AS I DID). HE THEREFORE SAID 'MLT, ROGER.' THE MLT THEN BEGAN A DSNT WHICH CAUSED A LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH MLG. THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A COM ERROR INCIDENT.

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.