Cpr X had less than standard separation from mlt Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	164014
Time
Date	199012
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hyk
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 41000 msl bound upper : 41000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
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 non radar : 2 controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	164014
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : non radar
Qualification	controller : developmental controller : non radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2
ASRS Report	164622
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

I was working combined sectors very complex and busy requested sector split, not done for several mins, after coordinating with receiving controller switched cpr X and mlt Y to 124.57 the wrong frequency. They were 120 mi apart at that time. The sector that received them acknowledged their call and no further action taken. 4 mins later the receiving sector realized the aircraft were in conflict and attempted to turn them apart. Finally the bkw controller turned mlt X to a 180 heading, aircraft passed with 2.5 mi, at FL410. The supervisor should have listened to the controller and split the sector this would have prevented a complex and dangerous situation from developing. I switched them to the wrong frequency, controller that received the aircraft did not follow procedures and return them to me. Cpr X was at FL410 wrong altitude for direction because of moderate turbulence at FL390. Supplemental information from acn 164622. Super high sectors were just split out from high sector. Mlt Y was at FL410 eastbound, cpr X was at FL410 westbound, wrong for direction due to turbulence. Wrong for direction was approved at the time the military route of flight was not a factor. Militaries route was changed but was not updated. This created a head on situation. The situation was briefed to the super high controllers taking over the airspace. The aircraft were inadvertently put on the wrong frequencys. Supplemental information from acn 164430. Cpr X was cruising swbnd at FL410. We were told to contact ZID on frequency 124.57. It took several calls before he acknowledged us. This controller seemed busy and preoccupied with checking his radio. I looked out the window and saw a mlt Y at about my 10 O'clock position in a right turn at our altitude. I did not have to take evasive action as he had already done so. We immediately contacted center on our assigned frequency of 124.57. He sounded surprised and said we should be on 124.62 and to contact them. When we contacted center on 124.62 he said he had been trying to contact us for several mins. We had not been given his frequency of 124.62 prior to the incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: I WAS WORKING COMBINED SECTORS VERY COMPLEX AND BUSY REQUESTED SECTOR SPLIT, NOT DONE FOR SEVERAL MINS, AFTER COORDINATING WITH RECEIVING CTLR SWITCHED CPR X AND MLT Y TO 124.57 THE WRONG FREQ. THEY WERE 120 MI APART AT THAT TIME. THE SECTOR THAT RECEIVED THEM ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR CALL AND NO FURTHER ACTION TAKEN. 4 MINS LATER THE RECEIVING SECTOR REALIZED THE ACFT WERE IN CONFLICT AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN THEM APART. FINALLY THE BKW CTLR TURNED MLT X TO A 180 HDG, ACFT PASSED WITH 2.5 MI, AT FL410. THE SUPVR SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO THE CTLR AND SPLIT THE SECTOR THIS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED A COMPLEX AND DANGEROUS SITUATION FROM DEVELOPING. I SWITCHED THEM TO THE WRONG FREQ, CTLR THAT RECEIVED THE ACFT DID NOT FOLLOW PROCS AND RETURN THEM TO ME. CPR X WAS AT FL410 WRONG ALT FOR DIRECTION BECAUSE OF MODERATE TURB AT FL390. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 164622. SUPER HIGH SECTORS WERE JUST SPLIT OUT FROM HIGH SECTOR. MLT Y WAS AT FL410 EBND, CPR X WAS AT FL410 WBND, WRONG FOR DIRECTION DUE TO TURB. WRONG FOR DIRECTION WAS APPROVED AT THE TIME THE MIL RTE OF FLT WAS NOT A FACTOR. MILITARIES RTE WAS CHANGED BUT WAS NOT UPDATED. THIS CREATED A HEAD ON SITUATION. THE SITUATION WAS BRIEFED TO THE SUPER HIGH CTLRS TAKING OVER THE AIRSPACE. THE ACFT WERE INADVERTENTLY PUT ON THE WRONG FREQS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 164430. CPR X WAS CRUISING SWBND AT FL410. WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT ZID ON FREQ 124.57. IT TOOK SEVERAL CALLS BEFORE HE ACKNOWLEDGED US. THIS CTLR SEEMED BUSY AND PREOCCUPIED WITH CHKING HIS RADIO. I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW A MLT Y AT ABOUT MY 10 O'CLOCK POS IN A R TURN AT OUR ALT. I DID NOT HAVE TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION AS HE HAD ALREADY DONE SO. WE IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED CTR ON OUR ASSIGNED FREQ OF 124.57. HE SOUNDED SURPRISED AND SAID WE SHOULD BE ON 124.62 AND TO CONTACT THEM. WHEN WE CONTACTED CTR ON 124.62 HE SAID HE HAD BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT US FOR SEVERAL MINS. WE HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN HIS FREQ OF 124.62 PRIOR TO THE 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.