Air carrier X descent through occupied altitude had less than standard separation from small transpo...

Attributes
ACN	219369
Time
Date	199208
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bhm
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bhm
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	219369
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data
Qualification	controller : non 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 : 12000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

This incident occurred because I was 'getting behind.' first, I had to make a manual handoff for an aircraft because the next facility had no flight plan information. The data controller was not paying attention and I had to ask 3 times for an amendment to this flight plan. Then an aircraft departed a satellite airport which required coordination with the 3 sectors along his route of flight before I could issue an IFR clearance. I had to call the center about a handoff approaching the boundary. I had 2 inbounds. Air carrier X at 11000 and an air carrier at 10000 about 2 mi apart. I had descended them late due to all the coordination. I took a radar handoff on small transport Y eastbound at 7000. I notice my inbound aircraft are still high and in conflict with small transport Y, the 7000 overflt. I turned the overflt sbound and the first inbound wbound and exchange traffic. Then small transport Y was in conflict with the second air carrier X on a parallel downwind. I told the second inbound to expedite reaching 6000. Exchanged traffic and they saw each other. I believe, had it not been for all the coordination, supervisor questions, timed out flight plans, etc., I would've seen this situation arise far sooner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE I WAS 'GETTING BEHIND.' FIRST, I HAD TO MAKE A MANUAL HDOF FOR AN ACFT BECAUSE THE NEXT FACILITY HAD NO FLT PLAN INFO. THE DATA CTLR WAS NOT PAYING ATTN AND I HAD TO ASK 3 TIMES FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THIS FLT PLAN. THEN AN ACFT DEPARTED A SATELLITE ARPT WHICH REQUIRED COORD WITH THE 3 SECTORS ALONG HIS RTE OF FLT BEFORE I COULD ISSUE AN IFR CLRNC. I HAD TO CALL THE CTR ABOUT A HDOF APCHING THE BOUNDARY. I HAD 2 INBOUNDS. ACR X AT 11000 AND AN ACR AT 10000 ABOUT 2 MI APART. I HAD DSNDED THEM LATE DUE TO ALL THE COORD. I TOOK A RADAR HDOF ON SMT Y EBOUND AT 7000. I NOTICE MY INBOUND ACFT ARE STILL HIGH AND IN CONFLICT WITH SMT Y, THE 7000 OVERFLT. I TURNED THE OVERFLT SBOUND AND THE FIRST INBOUND WBOUND AND EXCHANGE TFC. THEN SMT Y WAS IN CONFLICT WITH THE SECOND ACR X ON A PARALLEL DOWNWIND. I TOLD THE SECOND INBOUND TO EXPEDITE REACHING 6000. EXCHANGED TFC AND THEY SAW EACH OTHER. I BELIEVE, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR ALL THE COORD, SUPVR QUESTIONS, TIMED OUT FLT PLANS, ETC., I WOULD'VE SEEN THIS SITUATION ARISE FAR SOONER.

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.

Air carrier X descent through occupied altitude had less than standard separation from small transport Y. System error.