ARTCC radar controller descended an air carrier MD80 through an occupied altitude resulting in less than standard separation. Another controller failed to coordinate an aircraft entering joint use airspace with the controller working the MD80.

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Attributes
ACN	354566
Time
Date	199611
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pmm
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tower : bna
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 10 controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	354566
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	354293
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 10200 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While working an inbound sector to ord during a busy period, air carrier X was descended to 14000 ft in an area used as joint use airspace. Almost immediately the conflict alert went off. Apparently there was another aircraft in the joint use airspace that I was not aware of. Standard separation was lost. I told air carrier X, who was in a descent mode, to expedite his descent, and turn to a 300 degree heading to miss traffic that was at his 9 O'clock position and 3 mi. I feel that if proper procedures for pointouts and joint use airspace was followed, this incident would never have occurred. Supplemental information from acn 354293: cga Y departed grr swbound stopped at FL190 for air carrier X. Next controller didn't see aircraft and descended air carrier X through cga Y.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR DSNDED AN ACR MD80 THROUGH AN OCCUPIED ALT RESULTING IN LTSS. ANOTHER CTLR FAILED TO COORDINATE AN ACFT ENTERING JOINT USE AIRSPACE WITH THE CTLR WORKING THE MD80.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING AN INBOUND SECTOR TO ORD DURING A BUSY PERIOD, ACR X WAS DSNDED TO 14000 FT IN AN AREA USED AS JOINT USE AIRSPACE. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE CONFLICT ALERT WENT OFF. APPARENTLY THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT IN THE JOINT USE AIRSPACE THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF. STANDARD SEPARATION WAS LOST. I TOLD ACR X, WHO WAS IN A DSCNT MODE, TO EXPEDITE HIS DSCNT, AND TURN TO A 300 DEG HDG TO MISS TFC THAT WAS AT HIS 9 O'CLOCK POS AND 3 MI. I FEEL THAT IF PROPER PROCS FOR POINTOUTS AND JOINT USE AIRSPACE WAS FOLLOWED, THIS INCIDENT WOULD NEVER HAVE OCCURRED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 354293: CGA Y DEPARTED GRR SWBOUND STOPPED AT FL190 FOR ACR X. NEXT CTLR DIDN'T SEE ACFT AND DSNDED ACR X THROUGH CGA Y.

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.