Narrative:

Sector was extremely busy. Traffic count shows approximately 61 aircraft in the hour of the error. 83 aircraft at the time of the occurrence approximately 16 aircraft on the frequency and 22 data blocks. Approximately 2:28 seconds prior to the error an inbound to hpn reduced or appeared to slow his airspeed, when the pilot was asked about his speed, he said 265 KTS the computer was flying. This caused a distraction and several more control instructions to be issued to reestablish in trail sequencing. Approximately 1:30 seconds later the handoff controller instructs cleveland center to descend an air carrier to FL270 to prevent an overtake situation. The handoff controller does not see air carrier X sbound at FL280. As the handoff center completes this action, the area supervisor points out additional traffic for air carrier X. Recognizing the traffic situation that has just occurred, I instruct air carrier X to descend to FL240 with no delay, I call cleveland center and tell them to turn an air carrier 30 degrees left and let me talk to him. Air carrier X and cpr Y conflict alert activated, I observed air carrier X data block FL274 descending and instruct air carrier X to maintain FL270 and turn 30 degrees left. Pilot advise he is through FL270. Cpr Y at FL260. Error occurred due to extreme volume in sector no restriction were issued for aircraft entering sector by supervisor or traffic management. New york had monitor alert feature on asd computer off and no warning was given of sector overload.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X DSCNT THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT HAD LTSS FROM CPR Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: SECTOR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY. TFC COUNT SHOWS APPROX 61 ACFT IN THE HR OF THE ERROR. 83 ACFT AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE APPROX 16 ACFT ON THE FREQ AND 22 DATA BLOCKS. APPROX 2:28 SECONDS PRIOR TO THE ERROR AN INBOUND TO HPN REDUCED OR APPEARED TO SLOW HIS AIRSPD, WHEN THE PLT WAS ASKED ABOUT HIS SPD, HE SAID 265 KTS THE COMPUTER WAS FLYING. THIS CAUSED A DISTR AND SEVERAL MORE CTL INSTRUCTIONS TO BE ISSUED TO REESTABLISH IN TRAIL SEQUENCING. APPROX 1:30 SECONDS LATER THE HDOF CTLR INSTRUCTS CLEVELAND CTR TO DSND AN ACR TO FL270 TO PREVENT AN OVERTAKE SITUATION. THE HDOF CTLR DOES NOT SEE ACR X SBOUND AT FL280. AS THE HDOF CTR COMPLETES THIS ACTION, THE AREA SUPVR POINTS OUT ADDITIONAL TFC FOR ACR X. RECOGNIZING THE TFC SITUATION THAT HAS JUST OCCURRED, I INSTRUCT ACR X TO DSND TO FL240 WITH NO DELAY, I CALL CLEVELAND CTR AND TELL THEM TO TURN AN ACR 30 DEGS L AND LET ME TALK TO HIM. ACR X AND CPR Y CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED, I OBSERVED ACR X DATA BLOCK FL274 DSNDING AND INSTRUCT ACR X TO MAINTAIN FL270 AND TURN 30 DEGS L. PLT ADVISE HE IS THROUGH FL270. CPR Y AT FL260. ERROR OCCURRED DUE TO EXTREME VOLUME IN SECTOR NO RESTRICTION WERE ISSUED FOR ACFT ENTERING SECTOR BY SUPVR OR TFC MGMNT. NEW YORK HAD MONITOR ALERT FEATURE ON ASD COMPUTER OFF AND NO WARNING WAS GIVEN OF SECTOR OVERLOAD.

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.