Narrative:

I was called back to work the handoff (tracker) position at sector 19. The radar controller was just in the process of clearing 3 aircraft into the hold because traffic eastbound was shut off. Other traffic also needed immediate attention now because of these holds and inbounds for msp had to be spaced and separated from turning aircraft. I noticed the limited data block of air carrier Y at around the dayle intersection sbound as cpr X was to go into the hold near bunkr. I pointed out air carrier Y to the radar controller at sector 19 and pointed out cpr X to the radar controller at sector 11. It was agreed that air carrier Y would be cleared eastbound and then on course to ssm and that cpr X swbound and then into the hold at the rwf VORTAC. Other coordination and control actions had to be taken at sector 19 right away including following the ever-changing instructions from tmu that were to be followed. When I next checked on the progress of the situation between the 2 involved aircraft -- a situation everyone thought had been resolved -- they were converging almost head-on with cpr X in a slow left, swbound turn and air carrier Y in a slow left, nebound turn. I immediately pointed at the 2 targets on the scope to alert the radar controller who issued an immediate left turn to cpr X. The aircraft rogered, saying he had the traffic in sight. The aircraft passed with what looked like 3 NM separation. (Conflict alert activated after they passed.) supplemental information from acn 250414: the #1 reason in my opinion for the actual error is the poor turn rate that cpr X executed when issued his clearance. As plotted on the ntap it would work out to about 1/2 of 1 degree per second. Even a 1 degree turn started at the same time that cpr X started his turn would have placed cpr X well clear of and to the left of air carrier Y's projected track. Of course a 1 1/2 degree turn would have been even better. I am fully aware that at FL410 standard rate turns are seldom witnessed but in this case at this altitude, however, it would have proved very useful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR X UNAUTH AIRSPACE PENETRATION WHILE HOLDING HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS CALLED BACK TO WORK THE HDOF (TRACKER) POS AT SECTOR 19. THE RADAR CTLR WAS JUST IN THE PROCESS OF CLRING 3 ACFT INTO THE HOLD BECAUSE TFC EBOUND WAS SHUT OFF. OTHER TFC ALSO NEEDED IMMEDIATE ATTN NOW BECAUSE OF THESE HOLDS AND INBOUNDS FOR MSP HAD TO BE SPACED AND SEPARATED FROM TURNING ACFT. I NOTICED THE LIMITED DATA BLOCK OF ACR Y AT AROUND THE DAYLE INTXN SBOUND AS CPR X WAS TO GO INTO THE HOLD NEAR BUNKR. I POINTED OUT ACR Y TO THE RADAR CTLR AT SECTOR 19 AND POINTED OUT CPR X TO THE RADAR CTLR AT SECTOR 11. IT WAS AGREED THAT ACR Y WOULD BE CLRED EBOUND AND THEN ON COURSE TO SSM AND THAT CPR X SWBOUND AND THEN INTO THE HOLD AT THE RWF VORTAC. OTHER COORD AND CTL ACTIONS HAD TO BE TAKEN AT SECTOR 19 RIGHT AWAY INCLUDING FOLLOWING THE EVER-CHANGING INSTRUCTIONS FROM TMU THAT WERE TO BE FOLLOWED. WHEN I NEXT CHKED ON THE PROGRESS OF THE SIT BTWN THE 2 INVOLVED ACFT -- A SIT EVERYONE THOUGHT HAD BEEN RESOLVED -- THEY WERE CONVERGING ALMOST HEAD-ON WITH CPR X IN A SLOW L, SWBOUND TURN AND ACR Y IN A SLOW L, NEBOUND TURN. I IMMEDIATELY POINTED AT THE 2 TARGETS ON THE SCOPE TO ALERT THE RADAR CTLR WHO ISSUED AN IMMEDIATE L TURN TO CPR X. THE ACFT ROGERED, SAYING HE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. THE ACFT PASSED WITH WHAT LOOKED LIKE 3 NM SEPARATION. (CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED AFTER THEY PASSED.) SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 250414: THE #1 REASON IN MY OPINION FOR THE ACTUAL ERROR IS THE POOR TURN RATE THAT CPR X EXECUTED WHEN ISSUED HIS CLRNC. AS PLOTTED ON THE NTAP IT WOULD WORK OUT TO ABOUT 1/2 OF 1 DEG PER SECOND. EVEN A 1 DEG TURN STARTED AT THE SAME TIME THAT CPR X STARTED HIS TURN WOULD HAVE PLACED CPR X WELL CLR OF AND TO THE L OF ACR Y'S PROJECTED TRACK. OF COURSE A 1 1/2 DEG TURN WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN BETTER. I AM FULLY AWARE THAT AT FL410 STANDARD RATE TURNS ARE SELDOM WITNESSED BUT IN THIS CASE AT THIS ALT, HOWEVER, IT WOULD HAVE PROVED VERY USEFUL.

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.