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

Attributes
ACN	159948
Time
Date	199010
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5200 msl bound upper : 5200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : psp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 390
ASRS Report	159948
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 flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 900
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

On climbout of psp on a 100 degree heading and level at 4000' MSL, psp departure cleared air carrier X to climb to 13000'. While passing 5200', departure called out traffic 12 O'clock, 1 mi, descend through 6200' (it was air carrier Y, medium large transport type aircraft) coming directly at us. Sep appeared to be less than 1000' with 1 aircraft climbing and the other descending on reciprocal headings. Shortly thereafter we were given a left turn to an 040 degree heading with a request for a good rate of turn. That was the end of the incident, but it must be noted that the controller had some type of broadcast in the background that was very loud. Whether it was football, basketball, or whatever. There was also noticeable background laughter. The tapes will also reveal that just prior to this incident, another pilot in another aircraft said, 'what are you guys watching, a football gave down there?' this was nearly a fatal situation. If our gross weight had been a little less, allowing a little faster climb rate, a near miss, or worse a midair, would definitely have occurred. The controller was busy with numerous other VFR and IFR aircraft and appeared to be giving less than 100% of his attention to his job of controling air traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: ON CLIMBOUT OF PSP ON A 100 DEG HDG AND LEVEL AT 4000' MSL, PSP DEP CLRED ACR X TO CLB TO 13000'. WHILE PASSING 5200', DEP CALLED OUT TFC 12 O'CLOCK, 1 MI, DSND THROUGH 6200' (IT WAS ACR Y, MLG TYPE ACFT) COMING DIRECTLY AT US. SEP APPEARED TO BE LESS THAN 1000' WITH 1 ACFT CLBING AND THE OTHER DSNDING ON RECIPROCAL HDGS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE WERE GIVEN A LEFT TURN TO AN 040 DEG HDG WITH A REQUEST FOR A GOOD RATE OF TURN. THAT WAS THE END OF THE INCIDENT, BUT IT MUST BE NOTED THAT THE CTLR HAD SOME TYPE OF BROADCAST IN THE BACKGROUND THAT WAS VERY LOUD. WHETHER IT WAS FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, OR WHATEVER. THERE WAS ALSO NOTICEABLE BACKGROUND LAUGHTER. THE TAPES WILL ALSO REVEAL THAT JUST PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, ANOTHER PLT IN ANOTHER ACFT SAID, 'WHAT ARE YOU GUYS WATCHING, A FOOTBALL GAVE DOWN THERE?' THIS WAS NEARLY A FATAL SITUATION. IF OUR GROSS WT HAD BEEN A LITTLE LESS, ALLOWING A LITTLE FASTER CLB RATE, A NEAR MISS, OR WORSE A MIDAIR, WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE OCCURRED. THE CTLR WAS BUSY WITH NUMEROUS OTHER VFR AND IFR ACFT AND APPEARED TO BE GIVING LESS THAN 100% OF HIS ATTN TO HIS JOB OF CTLING AIR TFC.

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.