Narrative:

While working the jackson sector (mainly wbound departures from detroit) I had an operational error. I had been at the position about 10 mins when a flurry of planes arrived. Over the jxn VOR, I had 12000, 13000, 14000, and 15000 ft traffic, all needing climb or descent clearance, but not available due to traffic. There was an E120 at 16000 ft nwbound landing grand rapids. Several jet departures appeared climbing high over pmm. A citation from ptk was issued a climb clearance. An EA32 was issued 250 KTS and 15000 ft and then FL230 because all the altitudes below 17000 ft were taken. This was working fine until the citation increased his speed and slowed his climb, putting him in conflict with the E120 who was then turned to a 240 degree heading. During this time, several landlines were calling, and aircraft were making requests keeping me busy. I then noticed that, due to the 240 degree heading, that the E120 was not pulling away from the E132. The conflict alert never went off. I turned the EA32 to a 230 degree heading and the E120 back to grr (a 300 degree heading). But separation was subsequently lost. Closest proximity 800 ft and 2.2 mi. Neither aircraft was aware of the operational error, and responsibility of the sector was turned over to another radar controller. Recommendation: be aware of departures and assign them a parallel heading. Don't be afraid of letting a jet level off. Make sure all aircraft are 'clear' before climbing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERROR.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING THE JACKSON SECTOR (MAINLY WBOUND DEPS FROM DETROIT) I HAD AN OPERROR. I HAD BEEN AT THE POS ABOUT 10 MINS WHEN A FLURRY OF PLANES ARRIVED. OVER THE JXN VOR, I HAD 12000, 13000, 14000, AND 15000 FT TFC, ALL NEEDING CLB OR DSCNT CLRNC, BUT NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO TFC. THERE WAS AN E120 AT 16000 FT NWBOUND LNDG GRAND RAPIDS. SEVERAL JET DEPS APPEARED CLBING HIGH OVER PMM. A CITATION FROM PTK WAS ISSUED A CLB CLRNC. AN EA32 WAS ISSUED 250 KTS AND 15000 FT AND THEN FL230 BECAUSE ALL THE ALTS BELOW 17000 FT WERE TAKEN. THIS WAS WORKING FINE UNTIL THE CITATION INCREASED HIS SPD AND SLOWED HIS CLB, PUTTING HIM IN CONFLICT WITH THE E120 WHO WAS THEN TURNED TO A 240 DEG HDG. DURING THIS TIME, SEVERAL LANDLINES WERE CALLING, AND ACFT WERE MAKING REQUESTS KEEPING ME BUSY. I THEN NOTICED THAT, DUE TO THE 240 DEG HDG, THAT THE E120 WAS NOT PULLING AWAY FROM THE E132. THE CONFLICT ALERT NEVER WENT OFF. I TURNED THE EA32 TO A 230 DEG HDG AND THE E120 BACK TO GRR (A 300 DEG HDG). BUT SEPARATION WAS SUBSEQUENTLY LOST. CLOSEST PROX 800 FT AND 2.2 MI. NEITHER ACFT WAS AWARE OF THE OPERROR, AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SECTOR WAS TURNED OVER TO ANOTHER RADAR CTLR. RECOMMENDATION: BE AWARE OF DEPS AND ASSIGN THEM A PARALLEL HDG. DON'T BE AFRAID OF LETTING A JET LEVEL OFF. MAKE SURE ALL ACFT ARE 'CLR' BEFORE CLBING.

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.