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

Attributes
ACN	185833
Time
Date	199108
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Experimental
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	185833
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Controller: air carrier X , bay approach, turn left heading 100, identify to acknowledge. Controller: air carrier X descend and maintain 4000, pilots discretion. Pilot: pd to 4000. After several mins controller said, air carrier X, descend to 4000, there's military Y at 10 O'clock. Pilot: roger, earlier you gave us pd, were out of 5 for 4 and military Y is in sight, we'll maintain visual separation, air carrier X. Controller error, cause, excessive controller workload at time of occurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: CTLR: ACR X , BAY APCH, TURN L HDG 100, IDENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE. CTLR: ACR X DSND AND MAINTAIN 4000, PLTS DISCRETION. PLT: PD TO 4000. AFTER SEVERAL MINS CTLR SAID, ACR X, DSND TO 4000, THERE'S MIL Y AT 10 O'CLOCK. PLT: ROGER, EARLIER YOU GAVE US PD, WERE OUT OF 5 FOR 4 AND MIL Y IS IN SIGHT, WE'LL MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION, ACR X. CTLR ERROR, CAUSE, EXCESSIVE CTLR WORKLOAD AT TIME OF OCCURRENCE.

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.