MTR X had less than standard separation with air carrier Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	177977
Time
Date	199105
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gbn
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Trainer
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
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 military : 4 controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	177977
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000 vertical : 1500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Event occurred immediately after taking position. Giving a clearance before making myself totally familiar with all traffic situations. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated event happened 30 seconds after position relief briefing. Reporter had failed to scan flight progress strips for pertinent traffic. MTR X was wbound at FL330. Two air carrier's were eastbound at FL310. MTR X was clear of the first air carrier and the reporter issued descent clearance to MTR X. Reporter had failed to see the second air carrier Y. The reporter stated he was looking away from the radar scope. Conflict alert activated which brought the conflict to his attention. He issued climb instructions to MTR X but not before standard separation was lost. The reporter admitted complacency due to large transport traffic workload.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MTR X HAD LTSS WITH ACR Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: EVENT OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKING POS. GIVING A CLRNC BEFORE MAKING MYSELF TOTALLY FAMILIAR WITH ALL TFC SITUATIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: RPTR STATED EVENT HAPPENED 30 SECONDS AFTER POS RELIEF BRIEFING. RPTR HAD FAILED TO SCAN FLT PROGRESS STRIPS FOR PERTINENT TFC. MTR X WAS WBOUND AT FL330. TWO ACR'S WERE EBOUND AT FL310. MTR X WAS CLEAR OF THE FIRST ACR AND THE RPTR ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC TO MTR X. RPTR HAD FAILED TO SEE THE SECOND ACR Y. THE RPTR STATED HE WAS LOOKING AWAY FROM THE RADAR SCOPE. CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED WHICH BROUGHT THE CONFLICT TO HIS ATTN. HE ISSUED CLB INSTRUCTIONS TO MTR X BUT NOT BEFORE STANDARD SEPARATION WAS LOST. THE RPTR ADMITTED COMPLACENCY DUE TO LGT TFC WORKLOAD.

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.