Narrative:

Air carrier X phl to egkk climbing to FL270. Air carrier Y bos to mia FL310. Air carrier Z yhz to chs at FL280 swbound J174. Sector had been very busy and all but 6 aircraft gone. Air carrier X was climbing to FL270 stopped for air carrier Z sbound at FL280. Controller asked air carrier X for rate of climb. Pilot reported 1500 FPM. Controller ran out vector lines and determined that he could top air carrier Z and told air carrier X to climb to FL370, expedite through FL290. Controller asked again what air carrier X rate of climb would be, and pilot again reported 1500 FPM. Controller determined that this climb would allow air carrier X to climb and not be a factor with air carrier Y at FL310 about 15 mi ahead of air carrier Z sbound on J174. Air carrier X climbed at 3500 FPM becoming in conflict with air carrier Y at 310. When controller noticed conflict he attempted to stop air carrier X who was already to FL296 and 2.5 mi from air carrier Y. Supplemental information from acn 203056. Air carrier X departing philadelphia for gatwick was stopped in the climb at FL270 for crossing traffic at FL280. Air carrier Z (halifax to charleston). At one point, the radar controller decided that air carrier X was climbing well enough to top air carrier Z, and asked air carrier X if he could maintain 1500 ft or better through FL290. The aircraft said yes and was then cleared to FL370. A short time later, the controller found it necessary to turn both aircraft to the right to keep separation. In this, he was successful. However, he did not notice another aircraft at FL310. Air carrier Y, boston to miami. I was working the radar associate position and did not notice it either. The conflict alert was triggered and the controller stopped air carrier X at FL290 but unfortunately the plane was climbing so well that he was not able to avoid going through baltimore. Air carrier X leveled at FL296 before starting back down to FL290. The operational error device detected the error. I signed on at the radar associate position at the sector adjacent to this one. After a while the radar controller suggested that I move over to the next sector (hampton) to help the radar controller there who was getting quite busy. This left my previous sector staffed by one controller who was qualified at that sector, but not fully qualified at all sectors in the area. (This practice is against facility policy). While at the hampton sector, the controller there was relieved by the one who would later have the error. The traffic was not particularly heavy at the time of the incident.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: ACR X PHL TO EGKK CLBING TO FL270. ACR Y BOS TO MIA FL310. ACR Z YHZ TO CHS AT FL280 SWBOUND J174. SECTOR HAD BEEN VERY BUSY AND ALL BUT 6 ACFT GONE. ACR X WAS CLBING TO FL270 STOPPED FOR ACR Z SBOUND AT FL280. CTLR ASKED ACR X FOR RATE OF CLB. PLT RPTED 1500 FPM. CTLR RAN OUT VECTOR LINES AND DETERMINED THAT HE COULD TOP ACR Z AND TOLD ACR X TO CLB TO FL370, EXPEDITE THROUGH FL290. CTLR ASKED AGAIN WHAT ACR X RATE OF CLB WOULD BE, AND PLT AGAIN RPTED 1500 FPM. CTLR DETERMINED THAT THIS CLB WOULD ALLOW ACR X TO CLB AND NOT BE A FACTOR WITH ACR Y AT FL310 ABOUT 15 MI AHEAD OF ACR Z SBOUND ON J174. ACR X CLBED AT 3500 FPM BECOMING IN CONFLICT WITH ACR Y AT 310. WHEN CTLR NOTICED CONFLICT HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP ACR X WHO WAS ALREADY TO FL296 AND 2.5 MI FROM ACR Y. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 203056. ACR X DEPARTING PHILADELPHIA FOR GATWICK WAS STOPPED IN THE CLB AT FL270 FOR XING TFC AT FL280. ACR Z (HALIFAX TO CHARLESTON). AT ONE POINT, THE RADAR CTLR DECIDED THAT ACR X WAS CLBING WELL ENOUGH TO TOP ACR Z, AND ASKED ACR X IF HE COULD MAINTAIN 1500 FT OR BETTER THROUGH FL290. THE ACFT SAID YES AND WAS THEN CLRED TO FL370. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE CTLR FOUND IT NECESSARY TO TURN BOTH ACFT TO THE R TO KEEP SEPARATION. IN THIS, HE WAS SUCCESSFUL. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT NOTICE ANOTHER ACFT AT FL310. ACR Y, BOSTON TO MIAMI. I WAS WORKING THE RADAR ASSOCIATE POS AND DID NOT NOTICE IT EITHER. THE CONFLICT ALERT WAS TRIGGERED AND THE CTLR STOPPED ACR X AT FL290 BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE PLANE WAS CLBING SO WELL THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO AVOID GOING THROUGH BALTIMORE. ACR X LEVELED AT FL296 BEFORE STARTING BACK DOWN TO FL290. THE OPERROR DEVICE DETECTED THE ERROR. I SIGNED ON AT THE RADAR ASSOCIATE POS AT THE SECTOR ADJACENT TO THIS ONE. AFTER A WHILE THE RADAR CTLR SUGGESTED THAT I MOVE OVER TO THE NEXT SECTOR (HAMPTON) TO HELP THE RADAR CTLR THERE WHO WAS GETTING QUITE BUSY. THIS LEFT MY PREVIOUS SECTOR STAFFED BY ONE CTLR WHO WAS QUALIFIED AT THAT SECTOR, BUT NOT FULLY QUALIFIED AT ALL SECTORS IN THE AREA. (THIS PRACTICE IS AGAINST FACILITY POLICY). WHILE AT THE HAMPTON SECTOR, THE CTLR THERE WAS RELIEVED BY THE ONE WHO WOULD LATER HAVE THE ERROR. THE TFC WAS NOT PARTICULARLY HVY AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

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.