Air carrier X same altitude assigned had less than standard separation from cpr Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	243815
Time
Date	199306
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hvq
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	243815
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	244792
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 22000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X swbound about 450 KTS. Cpr Y nwbound about 320-340 KTS. Controller busy, heavy workload. Several descending and climbing aircraft in sector. Controller busy separating other aircraft when noticed air carrier X and cpr Y in conflict, 8 mi apart. Air carrier X turned to 180 degree heading, cpr Y descended to FL240, both told to expedite. Conflict noticed when conflict alert activated. Cause of problem was workload. What can be done to prevent? Less 'hub' aircraft. Too many groups of aircraft to same place at same time. Supplemental information from acn 244792: traffic in the 'crw hi' sector was building. As a traffic conflict arose in the northern part of the sector, another developed in the southern part. Actions were taken to separate the northern confliction. When radar controller returned to take action on the second confliction, the turns did not establish lateral separation. Aedep activated with 4.0 mi at FL310. The second aircraft involved was a cpr Y jet northbound at FL310.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X SAME ALT ASSIGNED HAD LTSS FROM CPR Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X SWBOUND ABOUT 450 KTS. CPR Y NWBOUND ABOUT 320-340 KTS. CTLR BUSY, HVY WORKLOAD. SEVERAL DSNDING AND CLBING ACFT IN SECTOR. CTLR BUSY SEPARATING OTHER ACFT WHEN NOTICED ACR X AND CPR Y IN CONFLICT, 8 MI APART. ACR X TURNED TO 180 DEG HDG, CPR Y DSNDED TO FL240, BOTH TOLD TO EXPEDITE. CONFLICT NOTICED WHEN CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED. CAUSE OF PROB WAS WORKLOAD. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT? LESS 'HUB' ACFT. TOO MANY GROUPS OF ACFT TO SAME PLACE AT SAME TIME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 244792: TFC IN THE 'CRW HI' SECTOR WAS BUILDING. AS A TFC CONFLICT AROSE IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE SECTOR, ANOTHER DEVELOPED IN THE SOUTHERN PART. ACTIONS WERE TAKEN TO SEPARATE THE NORTHERN CONFLICTION. WHEN RADAR CTLR RETURNED TO TAKE ACTION ON THE SECOND CONFLICTION, THE TURNS DID NOT ESTABLISH LATERAL SEPARATION. AEDEP ACTIVATED WITH 4.0 MI AT FL310. THE SECOND ACFT INVOLVED WAS A CPR Y JET NBOUND AT FL310.

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.