Air carrier Y had less than standard separation from small aircraft X. System error.

Attributes
ACN	184625
Time
Date	199107
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pvd
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pvd tower : cvg
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	184625
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : developmental
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 : 6000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

The conflict between the 2 aircraft arose because of numerous deviations around thunderstorm activity. Small aircraft X was westbound at 8000 ft MSL and had to be rerted around a line of thunderstorm activity. Small aircraft X was given a 180 degree (course reversal) and left at 8000. Air carrier Y was also wbound at 8000. When the conflict was noticed, air carrier Y was given a heading to the northeast. The pilot went into a lengthy discussion why he didn't want to fly that direction. Small aircraft X had already been turned sebound to avoid air carrier Y. The controller then turned them both the other direction under the impression that air carrier Y would not fly the northeast heading. Both aircraft took the turns and were issued traffic on the other. Air carrier Y reported that he had small aircraft X in sight. WX. Training in progress. Human factors/judgement. Controller did not realize that air carrier Y had taken the first assigned northeast heading.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: THE CONFLICT BTWN THE 2 ACFT AROSE BECAUSE OF NUMEROUS DEVS AROUND TSTM ACTIVITY. SMA X WAS WBND AT 8000 FT MSL AND HAD TO BE RERTED AROUND A LINE OF TSTM ACTIVITY. SMA X WAS GIVEN A 180 DEG (COURSE REVERSAL) AND L AT 8000. ACR Y WAS ALSO WBOUND AT 8000. WHEN THE CONFLICT WAS NOTICED, ACR Y WAS GIVEN A HDG TO THE NE. THE PLT WENT INTO A LENGTHY DISCUSSION WHY HE DIDN'T WANT TO FLY THAT DIRECTION. SMA X HAD ALREADY BEEN TURNED SEBOUND TO AVOID ACR Y. THE CTLR THEN TURNED THEM BOTH THE OTHER DIRECTION UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT ACR Y WOULD NOT FLY THE NE HDG. BOTH ACFT TOOK THE TURNS AND WERE ISSUED TFC ON THE OTHER. ACR Y RPTED THAT HE HAD SMA X IN SIGHT. WX. TRAINING IN PROGRESS. HUMAN FACTORS/JUDGEMENT. CTLR DID NOT REALIZE THAT ACR Y HAD TAKEN THE FIRST ASSIGNED NE HDG.

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.