Air carrier Y overtake small aircraft X and had less than standard separation. System error.

Attributes
ACN	225948
Time
Date	199211
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tpa
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 6 controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	225948
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Small aircraft X departed tpa was climbed to 5000 ft heading 060 degrees. Approximately 5 mins later, air carrier Y departed tpa, was climbed to 4000 ft heading 060 degrees (a turboprop). 15 mi northeast of tpa air carrier Y overtakes small aircraft X and passes below by 400 ft (4000 ft - 4400 ft) respectively). Traffic was called when air carrier Y was 1 1/2 mi and 200 ft below, and air carrier Y stated it had small aircraft X in sight. While this was taking place, I had a very complex situation in the far side of my airspace bordering with mco. I was running practice approachs to a satellite airport. Plus coordinating a request with mco of a previously handed off aircraft, and at the same time, I lost interface with mco so I had to vector an aircraft away from their boundary and manually hand him off. When I then scanned my scope I saw the problem with small aircraft X and air carrier Y and issued traffic but did not take additional action because small aircraft X was already above air carrier Y and in sight. In hindsight I wish I had turned air carrier Y at the same time I issued traffic. I also had anticipated the rate of climb on small aircraft X would have been greater than it was.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR Y OVERTAKE SMA X AND HAD LTSS. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: SMA X DEPARTED TPA WAS CLBED TO 5000 FT HDG 060 DEGS. APPROX 5 MINS LATER, ACR Y DEPARTED TPA, WAS CLBED TO 4000 FT HDG 060 DEGS (A TURBOPROP). 15 MI NE OF TPA ACR Y OVERTAKES SMA X AND PASSES BELOW BY 400 FT (4000 FT - 4400 FT) RESPECTIVELY). TFC WAS CALLED WHEN ACR Y WAS 1 1/2 MI AND 200 FT BELOW, AND ACR Y STATED IT HAD SMA X IN SIGHT. WHILE THIS WAS TAKING PLACE, I HAD A VERY COMPLEX SIT IN THE FAR SIDE OF MY AIRSPACE BORDERING WITH MCO. I WAS RUNNING PRACTICE APCHS TO A SATELLITE ARPT. PLUS COORDINATING A REQUEST WITH MCO OF A PREVIOUSLY HANDED OFF ACFT, AND AT THE SAME TIME, I LOST INTERFACE WITH MCO SO I HAD TO VECTOR AN ACFT AWAY FROM THEIR BOUNDARY AND MANUALLY HAND HIM OFF. WHEN I THEN SCANNED MY SCOPE I SAW THE PROB WITH SMA X AND ACR Y AND ISSUED TFC BUT DID NOT TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION BECAUSE SMA X WAS ALREADY ABOVE ACR Y AND IN SIGHT. IN HINDSIGHT I WISH I HAD TURNED ACR Y AT THE SAME TIME I ISSUED TFC. I ALSO HAD ANTICIPATED THE RATE OF CLB ON SMA X WOULD HAVE BEEN GREATER THAN IT WAS.

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.