On the job training in progress and trainee had less than standard separation between mlt descending...

Attributes
ACN	156899
Time
Date	199009
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mei
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
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
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	156899
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : developmental
ASRS Report	156902
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Mlt Y landing at maxwell AFB was given a descent clearance from FL380 to FL330 and told to expedite his descent for traffic at FL350. Medium large transport X air carrier was swbnd at FL350 deviating for WX. As the situation started looking imminent the trnee I was supervising told the mlt Y that we needed him to be level at FL330 in 1 mi or less. Considering the aircraft type we concluded that this would be no problem. The aircraft's response was 'wilco.' as the 2 aircraft's distance decreased, we told the mlt Y to report reaching FL350 which was the wrong reported altitude. The mlt Y stated that he was leaving FL340 for FL330. Again the trnee inadvertently ask the mlt Y to report reaching FL350, meaning to say FL330. (This may have confused the mlt Y pilot as to what his assigned altitude was.) eventually we stated report reaching FL330. As we were anticipating the aircraft to report reaching FL330, I instructed the trnee to have a reported altitude of FL330 reading to insert into the computer, thinking that the next transmission we would receive would be the mlt Y reaching FL330. The reported altitude was accidentally entered prior to the mlt Y report. A GA aircraft had requested a WX deviation, and when we heard the GA aircraft key the frequencys, that's when the reported altitude was mistakenly entered. Supplemental information from acn 156902: I told mlt Y to descend and maintain FL330 and to expedite his descent for traffic. At this time mlt Y responded saying I see the traffic. I told him this was not the actual traffic, and then told mlt Y where the traffic was, as medium large transport X was northeast of mei deviating for WX southbound. I had also told mlt Y I needed him level at FL330 in 1 min or less. His response was wilco. As the 2 aircraft got closer together I had a reported altitude of FL330 ready to be inserted into the computer. When another aircraft keyed his microphone I was thinking it would be mlt Y reporting level at FL330. At this time I mistakenly entered the reported altitude on mlt Y.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON THE JOB TRAINING IN PROGRESS AND TRAINEE HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN MLT DESCENDING THROUGH ALT OF ACR MLG.

Narrative: MLT Y LNDG AT MAXWELL AFB WAS GIVEN A DSNT CLRNC FROM FL380 TO FL330 AND TOLD TO EXPEDITE HIS DSNT FOR TFC AT FL350. MLG X ACR WAS SWBND AT FL350 DEVIATING FOR WX. AS THE SITUATION STARTED LOOKING IMMINENT THE TRNEE I WAS SUPERVISING TOLD THE MLT Y THAT WE NEEDED HIM TO BE LEVEL AT FL330 IN 1 MI OR LESS. CONSIDERING THE ACFT TYPE WE CONCLUDED THAT THIS WOULD BE NO PROB. THE ACFT'S RESPONSE WAS 'WILCO.' AS THE 2 ACFT'S DISTANCE DECREASED, WE TOLD THE MLT Y TO RPT REACHING FL350 WHICH WAS THE WRONG RPTED ALT. THE MLT Y STATED THAT HE WAS LEAVING FL340 FOR FL330. AGAIN THE TRNEE INADVERTENTLY ASK THE MLT Y TO RPT REACHING FL350, MEANING TO SAY FL330. (THIS MAY HAVE CONFUSED THE MLT Y PLT AS TO WHAT HIS ASSIGNED ALT WAS.) EVENTUALLY WE STATED RPT REACHING FL330. AS WE WERE ANTICIPATING THE ACFT TO RPT REACHING FL330, I INSTRUCTED THE TRNEE TO HAVE A RPTED ALT OF FL330 READING TO INSERT INTO THE COMPUTER, THINKING THAT THE NEXT XMISSION WE WOULD RECEIVE WOULD BE THE MLT Y REACHING FL330. THE RPTED ALT WAS ACCIDENTALLY ENTERED PRIOR TO THE MLT Y RPT. A GA ACFT HAD REQUESTED A WX DEVIATION, AND WHEN WE HEARD THE GA ACFT KEY THE FREQS, THAT'S WHEN THE RPTED ALT WAS MISTAKENLY ENTERED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 156902: I TOLD MLT Y TO DSND AND MAINTAIN FL330 AND TO EXPEDITE HIS DSNT FOR TFC. AT THIS TIME MLT Y RESPONDED SAYING I SEE THE TFC. I TOLD HIM THIS WAS NOT THE ACTUAL TFC, AND THEN TOLD MLT Y WHERE THE TFC WAS, AS MLG X WAS NE OF MEI DEVIATING FOR WX SBND. I HAD ALSO TOLD MLT Y I NEEDED HIM LEVEL AT FL330 IN 1 MIN OR LESS. HIS RESPONSE WAS WILCO. AS THE 2 ACFT GOT CLOSER TOGETHER I HAD A RPTED ALT OF FL330 READY TO BE INSERTED INTO THE COMPUTER. WHEN ANOTHER ACFT KEYED HIS MIC I WAS THINKING IT WOULD BE MLT Y RPTING LEVEL AT FL330. AT THIS TIME I MISTAKENLY ENTERED THE RPTED ALT ON MLT Y.

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.

On the job training in progress and trainee had less than standard separation between mlt descending through altitude of air carrier medium large transport.