Narrative:

Received clearance to climb to 17000' MSL from ATC on assigned heading 070 degree. After passing 11500' MSL received instruction to maintain 11000'. I reported our altitude as 11800' and would descend to 11000'. Immediately began a power off descent to 11000'. Visly sighted aircraft (possible small transport Y) in a left descending turn (away from us). Approximately 2-3 mi at 1-2 O'clock and above our altitude. No evasive action was taken or required. Received clearance to make a left turn to 360 degree from ATC. Cause of problem: I believe this controller was trying to do too much! Supplemental information from acn 169932. Large transport X flight departed columbus airport bound for cleveland. Small transport X (an overflt at 12000') was swbnd for cincinnati. Upon initial call, large transport X was climbed to cruise altitude of 17000' and was in a turn that would put this flight in conflict with small transport X. At the time this was happening, the radar controller and I had been trying to raise another aircraft at FL210 who was in conflict with another aircraft at FL210 but apparently the #1 transmitter had failed so the radar controller had to leave the scope to select #2 transmitter at the adjacent position. I believe this momentary lapse of intensions to primary duties was a major contributing factor to the loss of sep between large transport X and small transport X.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR CLIMBED LGT TO ALT ABOVE ENROUTE SMT, WAS DISTRACTED BY ANOTHER POTENTIAL CONFLICT AND ENDED UP WITH LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION WITH THE LGT AND SMT.

Narrative: RECEIVED CLRNC TO CLB TO 17000' MSL FROM ATC ON ASSIGNED HDG 070 DEG. AFTER PASSING 11500' MSL RECEIVED INSTRUCTION TO MAINTAIN 11000'. I RPTED OUR ALT AS 11800' AND WOULD DSND TO 11000'. IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A PWR OFF DSNT TO 11000'. VISLY SIGHTED ACFT (POSSIBLE SMT Y) IN A L DSNDING TURN (AWAY FROM US). APPROX 2-3 MI AT 1-2 O'CLOCK AND ABOVE OUR ALT. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN OR REQUIRED. RECEIVED CLRNC TO MAKE A L TURN TO 360 DEG FROM ATC. CAUSE OF PROB: I BELIEVE THIS CTLR WAS TRYING TO DO TOO MUCH! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 169932. LGT X FLT DEPARTED COLUMBUS ARPT BOUND FOR CLEVELAND. SMT X (AN OVERFLT AT 12000') WAS SWBND FOR CINCINNATI. UPON INITIAL CALL, LGT X WAS CLBED TO CRUISE ALT OF 17000' AND WAS IN A TURN THAT WOULD PUT THIS FLT IN CONFLICT WITH SMT X. AT THE TIME THIS WAS HAPPENING, THE RADAR CTLR AND I HAD BEEN TRYING TO RAISE ANOTHER ACFT AT FL210 WHO WAS IN CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT AT FL210 BUT APPARENTLY THE #1 XMITTER HAD FAILED SO THE RADAR CTLR HAD TO LEAVE THE SCOPE TO SELECT #2 XMITTER AT THE ADJACENT POS. I BELIEVE THIS MOMENTARY LAPSE OF INTENSIONS TO PRIMARY DUTIES WAS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE LOSS OF SEP BTWN LGT X AND SMT X.

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.