Air carrier X had less than standard separation from atx Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	154430
Time
Date	199008
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ign
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zbw
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	154430
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	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 25800 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While vectoring for spacing, I had an error between air carrier X descending (from 11000 to 8000' on a vector) and atx Y en route at 9000'. Traffic vol and complexity were high. Training was in progress. Restrictions in effect to 3 fixes in the sector of 20+ mi. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated sep between ar X medium large transport and atx Y was 4.3 mi horizontal and 0 vertical. C/a did not activate because air carrier X was turned into atx Y and sep loss was immediate. Reporter had stopped air carrier X descent at 8000' to provide vertical sep from traffic at 7000'. Controller training was not in progress at the reporter's sector.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION FROM ATX Y. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: WHILE VECTORING FOR SPACING, I HAD AN ERROR BTWN ACR X DSNDING (FROM 11000 TO 8000' ON A VECTOR) AND ATX Y ENRTE AT 9000'. TFC VOL AND COMPLEXITY WERE HIGH. TRNING WAS IN PROGRESS. RESTRICTIONS IN EFFECT TO 3 FIXES IN THE SECTOR OF 20+ MI. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED SEP BTWN AR X MLG AND ATX Y WAS 4.3 MI HORIZ AND 0 VERT. C/A DID NOT ACTIVATE BECAUSE ACR X WAS TURNED INTO ATX Y AND SEP LOSS WAS IMMEDIATE. RPTR HAD STOPPED ACR X DSNT AT 8000' TO PROVIDE VERT SEP FROM TFC AT 7000'. CTLR TRNING WAS NOT IN PROGRESS AT THE RPTR'S SECTOR.

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.