TRACON controller report regarding wrong altitude issued for descending aircraft with same altitude assigned to departure aircraft. TCASII and visual sighting prevented serious problem.

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Attributes
ACN	371514
Time
Date	199706
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx tower : jfk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller non radar : 14 controller radar : 15 controller supervisory : 1
ASRS Report	371514
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	371122
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6660 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was the north arrival controller and was completing a heavy rush period. I inadvertently cleared a B737 to 8000 ft. This assigned altitude was 10000 ft below the protected altitude in my airspace and in conflict with departure traffic. The pilot read back the altitude correctly and I did not catch the error at that time. As the aircraft was descending out of 10000 ft I called traffic at 5 mi opposite direction restr below you at 8000 ft. The pilot replied, 'roger, he's in sight,' with no mention of the altitude in confliction. I noticed the descending B737 at 8800 ft and told him to maintain 9000 ft. He replied we have our traffic and were cleared to 8000 ft. I was 100% at fault in this incident, but as you can see, the readback hearback problem is alive and well. 3 separate opportunities to prevent this error were missed by both pilot and controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON CTLR RPT REGARDING WRONG ALT ISSUED FOR DSNDING ACFT WITH SAME ALT ASSIGNED TO DEP ACFT. TCASII AND VISUAL SIGHTING PREVENTED SERIOUS PROB.

Narrative: I WAS THE N ARR CTLR AND WAS COMPLETING A HVY RUSH PERIOD. I INADVERTENTLY CLRED A B737 TO 8000 FT. THIS ASSIGNED ALT WAS 10000 FT BELOW THE PROTECTED ALT IN MY AIRSPACE AND IN CONFLICT WITH DEP TFC. THE PLT READ BACK THE ALT CORRECTLY AND I DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR AT THAT TIME. AS THE ACFT WAS DSNDING OUT OF 10000 FT I CALLED TFC AT 5 MI OPPOSITE DIRECTION RESTR BELOW YOU AT 8000 FT. THE PLT REPLIED, 'ROGER, HE'S IN SIGHT,' WITH NO MENTION OF THE ALT IN CONFLICTION. I NOTICED THE DSNDING B737 AT 8800 FT AND TOLD HIM TO MAINTAIN 9000 FT. HE REPLIED WE HAVE OUR TFC AND WERE CLRED TO 8000 FT. I WAS 100% AT FAULT IN THIS INCIDENT, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THE READBACK HEARBACK PROB IS ALIVE AND WELL. 3 SEPARATE OPPORTUNITIES TO PREVENT THIS ERROR WERE MISSED BY BOTH PLT AND CTLR.

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.