Narrative:

Working high altitude sector during very busy period with 14 to 20 aircraft on frequency. Almost all aircraft requesting deviation due to thunderstorms and chop. Air carrier X given clearance from FL310 to FL240 vector lines extended as an aid. Vector lines showed cpr Y at FL290 would pass behind X. X, instead of continuing west, turned northwest becoming a factor with Y. Vector lines are a tool to assist controller with separation and not intended as a means of separation. Manual controller working 'D' side not experienced at sector nor radar qualified at sector. This diverted some of my attention away from radar scope that should have been used for scanning. While scanning scope error was discovered and X was reclred to FL310. No action taken with Y. Pilot also stated on frequency he needed to continue west for WX but turned northwest. This manual controller, although a nice person, has not the skill, speed, or ability to control airplanes. We are forced as controllers to work with people as he, because of the FAA's 'trade to succeed program.' I'm sorry, but a line must be drawn on who can or can't do the job! If not, there will be more like myself who fall trap to spending too much time looking away from radar scope.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: WORKING HIGH ALT SECTOR DURING VERY BUSY PERIOD WITH 14 TO 20 ACFT ON FREQ. ALMOST ALL ACFT REQUESTING DEV DUE TO TSTMS AND CHOP. ACR X GIVEN CLRNC FROM FL310 TO FL240 VECTOR LINES EXTENDED AS AN AID. VECTOR LINES SHOWED CPR Y AT FL290 WOULD PASS BEHIND X. X, INSTEAD OF CONTINUING W, TURNED NW BECOMING A FACTOR WITH Y. VECTOR LINES ARE A TOOL TO ASSIST CTLR WITH SEPARATION AND NOT INTENDED AS A MEANS OF SEPARATION. MANUAL CTLR WORKING 'D' SIDE NOT EXPERIENCED AT SECTOR NOR RADAR QUALIFIED AT SECTOR. THIS DIVERTED SOME OF MY ATTN AWAY FROM RADAR SCOPE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR SCANNING. WHILE SCANNING SCOPE ERROR WAS DISCOVERED AND X WAS RECLRED TO FL310. NO ACTION TAKEN WITH Y. PLT ALSO STATED ON FREQ HE NEEDED TO CONTINUE W FOR WX BUT TURNED NW. THIS MANUAL CTLR, ALTHOUGH A NICE PERSON, HAS NOT THE SKILL, SPD, OR ABILITY TO CTL AIRPLANES. WE ARE FORCED AS CTLRS TO WORK WITH PEOPLE AS HE, BECAUSE OF THE FAA'S 'TRADE TO SUCCEED PROGRAM.' I'M SORRY, BUT A LINE MUST BE DRAWN ON WHO CAN OR CAN'T DO THE JOB! IF NOT, THERE WILL BE MORE LIKE MYSELF WHO FALL TRAP TO SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME LOOKING AWAY FROM RADAR SCOPE.

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.