Approach controller vectoring aircraft for approach at same altitude had less than standard separati...

Attributes
ACN	164298
Time
Date	199011
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ric
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ric
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 7 controller radar : 12
ASRS Report	164298
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
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 : 15000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While vectoring approximately 12 aircraft for INS approachs, I descended an fgt Y to 3000' and turned this aircraft toward the ILS runway 16 final. I had previously descended the small aircraft X to 3000'. I had commercial jets above these 2 aircraft at 4000, 5000 and 6000'. There was an aircraft making an INS approach to one of our satellite airports below the small aircraft X and fgt Y at 2000'. I had turned the small aircraft X westbound and taken it out of the pattern to allow the faster fgt Y in first. The heading assigned to the fgt Y wasn't enough to avert a confliction with the small aircraft X. I was distracted from this situation to my other traffic which was being vectored to final from the east. When I turned back to the fgt X and small aircraft X situation I realized that I was losing standard sep. I initially turned the fgt Y and small aircraft X to a vector to avoid each other. During this time the aircraft passed approximately 2 1/2 mi of each other.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR VECTORING ACFT FOR APCH AT SAME ALT HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative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

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.

Approach controller vectoring aircraft for approach at same altitude had less than standard separation.