Aircraft was descended too early and passed over the top of another aircraft with less than standard...

Attributes
ACN	163605
Time
Date	199011
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ape
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 34700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j80
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	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 19
ASRS Report	163605
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : developmental
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 1700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Medium large transport X climbing out of dtw-vwv-ape-bkw-rdh climbing to FL330. Medium large transport Y was westbound off lga J80 clang 3 ind at FL350 just prior to loss of minimal sep the associated radar controller took a point out on an aircraft and was telling the radar trnee to receive his approval. At this time (I) the radar controller was trying to hear what was being said, then I looked for the pointed out traffic to make sure it was ok. The next transmission I heard from the radar trnee was cleared direct mie clang 3. When I went to look for the aircraft that was cleared to mie I realized medium large transport Y was descending (at this time medium large transport Y was overhead medium large transport X by 1700') . My first thought was a mode C sway in the computer was taking place but then medium large transport Y's mode C indicated FL34.5. At this time I knew medium large transport Y was descending and was already 3 mi by medium large transport X at FL330. For some reason I never heard the radar trnee descend medium large transport Y to FL310 but he did.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT WAS DESCENDED TOO EARLY AND PASSED OVER THE TOP OF ANOTHER ACFT WITH LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: MLG X CLBING OUT OF DTW-VWV-APE-BKW-RDH CLBING TO FL330. MLG Y WAS WBND OFF LGA J80 CLANG 3 IND AT FL350 JUST PRIOR TO LOSS OF MINIMAL SEP THE ASSOCIATED RADAR CTLR TOOK A POINT OUT ON AN ACFT AND WAS TELLING THE RADAR TRNEE TO RECEIVE HIS APPROVAL. AT THIS TIME (I) THE RADAR CTLR WAS TRYING TO HEAR WHAT WAS BEING SAID, THEN I LOOKED FOR THE POINTED OUT TFC TO MAKE SURE IT WAS OK. THE NEXT XMISSION I HEARD FROM THE RADAR TRNEE WAS CLRED DIRECT MIE CLANG 3. WHEN I WENT TO LOOK FOR THE ACFT THAT WAS CLRED TO MIE I REALIZED MLG Y WAS DSNDING (AT THIS TIME MLG Y WAS OVERHEAD MLG X BY 1700') . MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS A MODE C SWAY IN THE COMPUTER WAS TAKING PLACE BUT THEN MLG Y'S MODE C INDICATED FL34.5. AT THIS TIME I KNEW MLG Y WAS DSNDING AND WAS ALREADY 3 MI BY MLG X AT FL330. FOR SOME REASON I NEVER HEARD THE RADAR TRNEE DSND MLG Y TO FL310 BUT HE DID.

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.

Aircraft was descended too early and passed over the top of another aircraft with less than standard separation.