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

Attributes
ACN	197200
Time
Date	199112
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bal
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 6 controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	197200
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
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	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X, level at 6000 direct balance. Air carrier X is handed off to next sector, communications were believed to have been transferred, however, the transmission is blocked. Aircraft Y, climbing off bwi and instructed to climb and maintain 6000 ft by next controller. Separation is lost before evasive action by controller is taken. Air carrier X questions me about the aircraft Y since he was still 'on' my frequency. Aircraft Y was turned to avoid air carrier X. An error could be charged to the other controller and a deviation to myself.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: ACR X, LEVEL AT 6000 DIRECT BAL. ACR X IS HANDED OFF TO NEXT SECTOR, COMS WERE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED, HOWEVER, THE XMISSION IS BLOCKED. ACFT Y, CLBING OFF BWI AND INSTRUCTED TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 6000 FT BY NEXT CTLR. SEPARATION IS LOST BEFORE EVASIVE ACTION BY CTLR IS TAKEN. ACR X QUESTIONS ME ABOUT THE ACFT Y SINCE HE WAS STILL 'ON' MY FREQ. ACFT Y WAS TURNED TO AVOID ACR X. AN ERROR COULD BE CHARGED TO THE OTHER CTLR AND A DEV TO MYSELF.

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.