Air carrier X descending had less than standard separation from air carrier Y climbing. System error...

Attributes
ACN	295914
Time
Date	199502
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	295914
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
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 : 9200 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X was handed off to me above FL200 interim altitude of 13000 ft. Air carrier Y was a departure off of cvg airport. I had pointed Y to the previous sector climbing to FL230. When X was initially handed off, he was tracking approximately a 210 degree heading. By the time I realized the turn from X back to the southeast, and began to correct the error, it was too late. X was at FL182 when I stopped him at 17000 ft. Y was at 15700 ft when I tried to stop him at 16000 ft. I did not recognize that Y was climbing at 4200 FPM. His climb rate was such that he climbed all the way to 16900 ft before being able to start back down. I can't really think of anything other than radar that updates position information quicker to closer correlate to aircraft involved in turns.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X DSNDING HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y CLBING. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X WAS HANDED OFF TO ME ABOVE FL200 INTERIM ALT OF 13000 FT. ACR Y WAS A DEP OFF OF CVG ARPT. I HAD POINTED Y TO THE PREVIOUS SECTOR CLBING TO FL230. WHEN X WAS INITIALLY HANDED OFF, HE WAS TRACKING APPROX A 210 DEG HDG. BY THE TIME I REALIZED THE TURN FROM X BACK TO THE SE, AND BEGAN TO CORRECT THE ERROR, IT WAS TOO LATE. X WAS AT FL182 WHEN I STOPPED HIM AT 17000 FT. Y WAS AT 15700 FT WHEN I TRIED TO STOP HIM AT 16000 FT. I DID NOT RECOGNIZE THAT Y WAS CLBING AT 4200 FPM. HIS CLB RATE WAS SUCH THAT HE CLBED ALL THE WAY TO 16900 FT BEFORE BEING ABLE TO START BACK DOWN. I CAN'T REALLY THINK OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN RADAR THAT UPDATES POS INFO QUICKER TO CLOSER CORRELATE TO ACFT INVOLVED IN TURNS.

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.