Narrative:

I was working manhattan radar (dr-1). Traffic was heavy and complex with numerous lax departures as well as numerous en route aircraft and several satellite departures. Near the time of the incident, a GA aircraft on the VOR 11L approach to toa wandered off course to the right toward higher terrain, was in MSAW alert, and was NORDO. Aircraft #1 departed the lax north complex and I climbed him to 5000 ft. Aircraft #2 departed the south complex a short time later and I climbed him to 4000 ft. I instructed aircraft #1 to turn left direct lax VOR and 'resume loop 9 departure, comply with altitude restrs.' I either thought I had given aircraft #1 an altitude of 15000 ft earlier or meant to in the second transmission. The audio tape recording indicates the only altitude I issued aircraft #1 was 5000 ft. As aircraft #1 turned east I observed his altitude readout indicate 5000 ft. I believed he was climbing to 15000 ft, so I issued aircraft #2 a new altitude assignment of 5000 ft. After the aircraft passed I observed that aircraft #1 appeared to still be at 5000 ft. I issued him clearance to 15000 ft. I was expecting to be relieved shortly. The traffic in my sector was very busy and I felt I should concentrate on working it. During this time the supervisor was discussing briefly combining sectors so that the parallel monitor position could be opened. I was unsure if separation had been lost, if so I suspected a pilot deviation. When I was relieved from the sector, I advised the supervisor of what I knew about the incident at that time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERROR LTSS BTWN ACR X AT 5000 FT AND ACR Y CLBING TO 5000 FT WITHOUT APPROPRIATE ALT LATERAL SEPARATION. RPTR THOUGHT ACR X HAD BEEN GIVEN CLB CLRNC TO 15000 FT AND WAS OUT OF 5000 FT IN THE CLB.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING MANHATTAN RADAR (DR-1). TFC WAS HVY AND COMPLEX WITH NUMEROUS LAX DEPS AS WELL AS NUMEROUS ENRTE ACFT AND SEVERAL SATELLITE DEPS. NEAR THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, A GA ACFT ON THE VOR 11L APCH TO TOA WANDERED OFF COURSE TO THE R TOWARD HIGHER TERRAIN, WAS IN MSAW ALERT, AND WAS NORDO. ACFT #1 DEPARTED THE LAX N COMPLEX AND I CLBED HIM TO 5000 FT. ACFT #2 DEPARTED THE S COMPLEX A SHORT TIME LATER AND I CLBED HIM TO 4000 FT. I INSTRUCTED ACFT #1 TO TURN L DIRECT LAX VOR AND 'RESUME LOOP 9 DEP, COMPLY WITH ALT RESTRS.' I EITHER THOUGHT I HAD GIVEN ACFT #1 AN ALT OF 15000 FT EARLIER OR MEANT TO IN THE SECOND XMISSION. THE AUDIO TAPE RECORDING INDICATES THE ONLY ALT I ISSUED ACFT #1 WAS 5000 FT. AS ACFT #1 TURNED E I OBSERVED HIS ALT READOUT INDICATE 5000 FT. I BELIEVED HE WAS CLBING TO 15000 FT, SO I ISSUED ACFT #2 A NEW ALT ASSIGNMENT OF 5000 FT. AFTER THE ACFT PASSED I OBSERVED THAT ACFT #1 APPEARED TO STILL BE AT 5000 FT. I ISSUED HIM CLRNC TO 15000 FT. I WAS EXPECTING TO BE RELIEVED SHORTLY. THE TFC IN MY SECTOR WAS VERY BUSY AND I FELT I SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON WORKING IT. DURING THIS TIME THE SUPVR WAS DISCUSSING BRIEFLY COMBINING SECTORS SO THAT THE PARALLEL MONITOR POS COULD BE OPENED. I WAS UNSURE IF SEPARATION HAD BEEN LOST, IF SO I SUSPECTED A PLTDEV. WHEN I WAS RELIEVED FROM THE SECTOR, I ADVISED THE SUPVR OF WHAT I KNEW ABOUT THE INCIDENT AT THAT TIME.

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.