An air carrier B727 at FL250 questioned the ARTCC radar controller about traffic at his altitude. At the same time the conflict alert activated and the controller climbed the B727 and coordination with adjacent sector who was working an air carrier B737 descending through FL250. The reporter was told the B737 was climbing back to FL260 and the reporter turned his aircraft, but separation was lost.

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Attributes
ACN	399418
Time
Date	199804
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxt
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 26500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 28
ASRS Report	399418
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 16200 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X at FL250 asked about traffic, 1 O'clock, our altitude. At the same time, I had observed the conflict alert, which made my decision to climb air carrier X to FL260 as the other aircraft, air carrier Y, data block indicated FL250 descending to FL220. This would increase separation (distance about 6-7 mi -- I had put up 'J' ring) and immediately called R11 to advise of my actions. I was told R11 had climbed air carrier Y back to FL260 and turned him south. I told air carrier X to fly heading 020 degrees. He then advised he had to climb to FL265 for TCASII. When the aircraft were separated, I cleared air carrier X on course.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B727 AT FL250 QUESTIONED THE ARTCC RADAR CTLR ABOUT TFC AT HIS ALT. AT THE SAME TIME THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED AND THE CTLR CLBED THE B727 AND COORD WITH ADJACENT SECTOR WHO WAS WORKING AN ACR B737 DSNDING THROUGH FL250. THE RPTR WAS TOLD THE B737 WAS CLBING BACK TO FL260 AND THE RPTR TURNED HIS ACFT, BUT SEPARATION WAS LOST.

Narrative: ACR X AT FL250 ASKED ABOUT TFC, 1 O'CLOCK, OUR ALT. AT THE SAME TIME, I HAD OBSERVED THE CONFLICT ALERT, WHICH MADE MY DECISION TO CLB ACR X TO FL260 AS THE OTHER ACFT, ACR Y, DATA BLOCK INDICATED FL250 DSNDING TO FL220. THIS WOULD INCREASE SEPARATION (DISTANCE ABOUT 6-7 MI -- I HAD PUT UP 'J' RING) AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED R11 TO ADVISE OF MY ACTIONS. I WAS TOLD R11 HAD CLBED ACR Y BACK TO FL260 AND TURNED HIM S. I TOLD ACR X TO FLY HDG 020 DEGS. HE THEN ADVISED HE HAD TO CLB TO FL265 FOR TCASII. WHEN THE ACFT WERE SEPARATED, I CLRED ACR X ON COURSE.

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.