Narrative:

I am a center controller at cle ARTCC. I was working the rochester sector (110-FL230). I received 2 handoffs from buffalo approach control on aircraft departing eastbound. 1 was air carrier X filed buf J16 alb, requesting 170. The second was air carrier Y filed buf routing ewr. I accepted the handoffs even though the faster jet was behind the turboprop. Approach control normally gets the faster traffic above the slower -- no problem. My assistant controller answered the coordination line from buf approach (I was fairly busy with other traffic) who told him air carrier X was cleared direct alb and air carrier Y was assigned heading 080 degree. Shortly after this coordination air carrier X called me, seconds later air carrier Y called. When both aircraft were now on my frequency they were less than 1000 ft apart, climbing to 10000 and about 3-3.5 mi apart. Basically the approach controller handed me a separation error, although it was still in his airspace. The jet was still behind the turboprop catching him rapidly. The rates of climb were similar when they both called me. The letter of agreement requires approach to provide 5 mi and increasing or altitude separation. Their headings were diverging by about 20 degree. I turned air carrier Y to a heading of 030 degree and expedited his climb to FL230. The air carrier Y finally started to outclb the air carrier X and separation was achieved. Strangely, during this entire sequence of events the conflict alert system did not detect or warn of it. I notified the supervisor in charge of the area and he placed a call to buf approach. The approach controller failed to insure separation and failed to meet the requirements of the letter of agreement. In my opinion, this constitutes a system deviation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR Y HAD LTSS FROM ACR X. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I AM A CENTER CTLR AT CLE ARTCC. I WAS WORKING THE ROCHESTER SECTOR (110-FL230). I RECEIVED 2 HDOFS FROM BUFFALO APCH CTL ON ACFT DEPARTING EBOUND. 1 WAS ACR X FILED BUF J16 ALB, REQUESTING 170. THE SECOND WAS ACR Y FILED BUF RTING EWR. I ACCEPTED THE HDOFS EVEN THOUGH THE FASTER JET WAS BEHIND THE TURBOPROP. APCH CTL NORMALLY GETS THE FASTER TFC ABOVE THE SLOWER -- NO PROBLEM. MY ASSISTANT CTLR ANSWERED THE COORD LINE FROM BUF APCH (I WAS FAIRLY BUSY WITH OTHER TFC) WHO TOLD HIM ACR X WAS CLRED DIRECT ALB AND ACR Y WAS ASSIGNED HDG 080 DEG. SHORTLY AFTER THIS COORD ACR X CALLED ME, SECONDS LATER ACR Y CALLED. WHEN BOTH ACFT WERE NOW ON MY FREQ THEY WERE LESS THAN 1000 FT APART, CLBING TO 10000 AND ABOUT 3-3.5 MI APART. BASICALLY THE APCH CTLR HANDED ME A SEPARATION ERROR, ALTHOUGH IT WAS STILL IN HIS AIRSPACE. THE JET WAS STILL BEHIND THE TURBOPROP CATCHING HIM RAPIDLY. THE RATES OF CLIMB WERE SIMILAR WHEN THEY BOTH CALLED ME. THE LETTER OF AGREEMENT REQUIRES APCH TO PROVIDE 5 MI AND INCREASING OR ALT SEPARATION. THEIR HDGS WERE DIVERGING BY ABOUT 20 DEG. I TURNED ACR Y TO A HDG OF 030 DEG AND EXPEDITED HIS CLB TO FL230. THE ACR Y FINALLY STARTED TO OUTCLB THE ACR X AND SEPARATION WAS ACHIEVED. STRANGELY, DURING THIS ENTIRE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS THE CONFLICT ALERT SYS DID NOT DETECT OR WARN OF IT. I NOTIFIED THE SUPVR IN CHARGE OF THE AREA AND HE PLACED A CALL TO BUF APCH. THE APCH CTLR FAILED TO INSURE SEPARATION AND FAILED TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LETTER OF AGREEMENT. IN MY OPINION, THIS CONSTITUTES A SYS DEV.

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.