Cpr X had less than standard separation from air carrier Y. Merged targets. System error.

Attributes
ACN	196933
Time
Date	199112
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dqo
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tracon : phl tower : bwi
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
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 : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	196933
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : developmental
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error

Narrative:

Cpr Y departed ilg. I was issued direct eno. Made a pointout and climbed to 80. ZDC called and asked my trainee to put cpr Y on a 160 degree. The turn was issued and cpr Y was instructed to contact ZDC. A couple of mins later the controller asked what air carrier Y was doing. I observed cpr X and air carrier Y merge at 100 about 15 south of dqo. ZDC has control for climb per LOA and apparently assumed air carrier Y would continue north instead of turning toward airport according to the STAR. Supplemental information from acn 197358: air carrier Y, a phl arrival, was issued a heading of 060 degrees at 10000. Cpr X was previously coordinated for a climb to 8000 plus handoff to ZDC. ZDC subsequently called the dqo sector back and asked for 160 degree heading for climb and it was approved. The ZDC controller apparently believed that air carrier Y was going to continue northbound instead of turning toward phl and climbed cpr X through air carrier Y altitude. Merging target procedures were applied as I believed ZDC was only climbing to 90. When I observed the cpr X through 9300 ft I issued a TA, a turn and traffic at which time air carrier Y reported the traffic in sight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR X HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. MERGED TARGETS. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: CPR Y DEPARTED ILG. I WAS ISSUED DIRECT ENO. MADE A POINTOUT AND CLBED TO 80. ZDC CALLED AND ASKED MY TRAINEE TO PUT CPR Y ON A 160 DEG. THE TURN WAS ISSUED AND CPR Y WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT ZDC. A COUPLE OF MINS LATER THE CTLR ASKED WHAT ACR Y WAS DOING. I OBSERVED CPR X AND ACR Y MERGE AT 100 ABOUT 15 S OF DQO. ZDC HAS CTL FOR CLB PER LOA AND APPARENTLY ASSUMED ACR Y WOULD CONTINUE N INSTEAD OF TURNING TOWARD ARPT ACCORDING TO THE STAR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 197358: ACR Y, A PHL ARR, WAS ISSUED A HDG OF 060 DEGS AT 10000. CPR X WAS PREVIOUSLY COORDINATED FOR A CLB TO 8000 PLUS HDOF TO ZDC. ZDC SUBSEQUENTLY CALLED THE DQO SECTOR BACK AND ASKED FOR 160 DEG HDG FOR CLB AND IT WAS APPROVED. THE ZDC CTLR APPARENTLY BELIEVED THAT ACR Y WAS GOING TO CONTINUE NBOUND INSTEAD OF TURNING TOWARD PHL AND CLBED CPR X THROUGH ACR Y ALT. MERGING TARGET PROCS WERE APPLIED AS I BELIEVED ZDC WAS ONLY CLBING TO 90. WHEN I OBSERVED THE CPR X THROUGH 9300 FT I ISSUED A TA, A TURN AND TFC AT WHICH TIME ACR Y RPTED THE TFC IN SIGHT.

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.