Aircraft X same altitude assigned had less than standard separation from aircraft Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	269610
Time
Date	199404
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psk
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	269610
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft X was at 370. ZTL coordinated the altitude, because aircraft was an arrival to pit, and is supposed to be at 330. Aircraft Y was climbing out of 330 for 370. Aircraft #3 at 350 was head-on traffic for Y. ZTL coordinated Y climbing, and Z showed him the traffic. He said he would miss the traffic. X was coordinated on a 040 heading for his descent. ZTL put Y on a 040 heading. After some discussion about the situation, ZTL put Y on a 090 heading, and gave control for turns plus descent for X. By the time all the coordination and communications was transferred, X was about 6 mi from Y. X turned to a 090 headway to miss Y then turned further to a 120 heading. X saw Y. Conclusion: aircraft landing pit should be required (by LOA) to be at 330 or below. The 3- way corner at pulaski VORTAC (between ZDC, ZTL and ZID) is very dangerous: hard to watch and hard to separate aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: ACFT X WAS AT 370. ZTL COORDINATED THE ALT, BECAUSE ACFT WAS AN ARR TO PIT, AND IS SUPPOSED TO BE AT 330. ACFT Y WAS CLBING OUT OF 330 FOR 370. ACFT #3 AT 350 WAS HEAD-ON TFC FOR Y. ZTL COORDINATED Y CLBING, AND Z SHOWED HIM THE TFC. HE SAID HE WOULD MISS THE TFC. X WAS COORDINATED ON A 040 HDG FOR HIS DSCNT. ZTL PUT Y ON A 040 HDG. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SIT, ZTL PUT Y ON A 090 HDG, AND GAVE CTL FOR TURNS PLUS DSCNT FOR X. BY THE TIME ALL THE COORD AND COMS WAS TRANSFERRED, X WAS ABOUT 6 MI FROM Y. X TURNED TO A 090 HEADWAY TO MISS Y THEN TURNED FURTHER TO A 120 HDG. X SAW Y. CONCLUSION: ACFT LNDG PIT SHOULD BE REQUIRED (BY LOA) TO BE AT 330 OR BELOW. THE 3- WAY CORNER AT PULASKI VORTAC (BTWN ZDC, ZTL AND ZID) IS VERY DANGEROUS: HARD TO WATCH AND HARD TO SEPARATE ACFT.

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.