Narrative:

I was working the manual controller position for the eastern half of the gulf of mexico (this is an unofficial split utilized on wkends due to the extremely high volume of traffic and the associated number of strips in this non radar environment). Mlt X was sebound on A321. Large transport Y was swbound from minow intersection direct to frish intersection at FL330 (wrong altitude for direction). Due to an error in the way the mlt X flight plan had been filed, strips were late in arriving at the oceanic sector. Large transport Y had already been coordinated with merida center and the altitude approved, etc. LOA requires 30 mins prior to entering merida center airspace for coordination and by the time the route of flight was obtained the limit was already being pushed. I then tried for 10 mins to pass the flight plan to merida, but was unable because the only available line was in use by the other manual controller and because the merida controller was too busy to answer when I could use the line. The radar controller, during this time, had given mlt X contact instructions including 'monitor these frequency and ny communication radio until passing eliom intersection then contact merida center.' I finally managed to pass the flight plan to merida center and the merida controller approved FL330. I then tried to catch up on other work that had been delayed while I was trying to pass the flight plan. After clearing up several items, I rechked my traffic and saw the pending confliction at frish intersection between mlt X and large transport Y. I tried to call merida center to coordinate a plan of action and advised the radar controller to insure that mlt X was still available. After about 1 min the merida controller called to say that he had also spotted the confliction and that he requested mlt X be descended to FL310. Numerous attempts to contact mlt X were made, both directly and through other aircraft. Ny communication radio also attempted contact. All tries were negative. The merida center controller finally advised that he was in contact with large transport Y and was climbing the aircraft to FL350. This altitude change was not accomplished in time to provide standard separation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC MANUAL CTLR HAD LESS THAN STANDARD OCEANIC SEPARATION BTWN AN MLT AND AN LGT OVERWATER WITH LGT AT WRONG ALT FOR DIRECTION OF FLT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE MANUAL CTLR POS FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF THE GULF OF MEXICO (THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL SPLIT UTILIZED ON WKENDS DUE TO THE EXTREMELY HIGH VOLUME OF TFC AND THE ASSOCIATED NUMBER OF STRIPS IN THIS NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT). MLT X WAS SEBOUND ON A321. LGT Y WAS SWBOUND FROM MINOW INTXN DIRECT TO FRISH INTXN AT FL330 (WRONG ALT FOR DIRECTION). DUE TO AN ERROR IN THE WAY THE MLT X FLT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED, STRIPS WERE LATE IN ARRIVING AT THE OCEANIC SECTOR. LGT Y HAD ALREADY BEEN COORDINATED WITH MERIDA CENTER AND THE ALT APPROVED, ETC. LOA REQUIRES 30 MINS PRIOR TO ENTERING MERIDA CENTER AIRSPACE FOR COORD AND BY THE TIME THE RTE OF FLT WAS OBTAINED THE LIMIT WAS ALREADY BEING PUSHED. I THEN TRIED FOR 10 MINS TO PASS THE FLT PLAN TO MERIDA, BUT WAS UNABLE BECAUSE THE ONLY AVAILABLE LINE WAS IN USE BY THE OTHER MANUAL CTLR AND BECAUSE THE MERIDA CTLR WAS TOO BUSY TO ANSWER WHEN I COULD USE THE LINE. THE RADAR CTLR, DURING THIS TIME, HAD GIVEN MLT X CONTACT INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDING 'MONITOR THESE FREQ AND NY COM RADIO UNTIL PASSING ELIOM INTXN THEN CONTACT MERIDA CENTER.' I FINALLY MANAGED TO PASS THE FLT PLAN TO MERIDA CENTER AND THE MERIDA CTLR APPROVED FL330. I THEN TRIED TO CATCH UP ON OTHER WORK THAT HAD BEEN DELAYED WHILE I WAS TRYING TO PASS THE FLT PLAN. AFTER CLRING UP SEVERAL ITEMS, I RECHKED MY TFC AND SAW THE PENDING CONFLICTION AT FRISH INTXN BTWN MLT X AND LGT Y. I TRIED TO CALL MERIDA CENTER TO COORDINATE A PLAN OF ACTION AND ADVISED THE RADAR CTLR TO INSURE THAT MLT X WAS STILL AVAILABLE. AFTER ABOUT 1 MIN THE MERIDA CTLR CALLED TO SAY THAT HE HAD ALSO SPOTTED THE CONFLICTION AND THAT HE REQUESTED MLT X BE DSNDED TO FL310. NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT MLT X WERE MADE, BOTH DIRECTLY AND THROUGH OTHER ACFT. NY COM RADIO ALSO ATTEMPTED CONTACT. ALL TRIES WERE NEGATIVE. THE MERIDA CENTER CTLR FINALLY ADVISED THAT HE WAS IN CONTACT WITH LGT Y AND WAS CLBING THE ACFT TO FL350. THIS ALT CHANGE WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED IN TIME TO PROVIDE STANDARD SEPARATION.

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.