Loss of separation between climbing LJ25 and a C210 at FL180.

Attributes
ACN	399841
Time
Date	199804
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fkn
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Learjet 25
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 120
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : private
Experience	controller radar : 6 flight time total : 100
ASRS Report	399841
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 19200 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft #1, an LJ25, departing norfolk climbing to 16000 ft. Aircraft #2, a C210 at FL180, traffic sby to cvi. Took a pointout on the C210 from orf tower. Limited data block at FL180. The learjet departing orf was climbing to 16000 ft, when I inadvertently issued climb to FL230. At the time I was working the rocky mount sector and the franklin sector combined and was saturated with traffic in both sectors. Attention was diverted to a VFR aircraft which departed pgu looking for an IFR clearance. Was unable due to traffic in the vicinity of the requesting aircraft. Pilot of VFR called 3 additional times for clearance which was still able to maintain VFR, then looked up at fkn VOR and saw the LJ25 passing through 16400 ft for FL230. Tried to stop the lear at 17000 ft but pilot said he had just gone through it. Then expedited the descent back down to 17000 ft. I feel that my attention had been diverted by trying to explain to the VFR why I was unable to give an IFR clearance when I issued the climb to the learjet. In the future I feel starting a track on the limited data block at FL180, or calling the aircraft 'radar contact,' instead of approving a pointout will alleviate this particular situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF SEPARATION BTWN CLBING LJ25 AND A C210 AT FL180.

Narrative: ACFT #1, AN LJ25, DEPARTING NORFOLK CLBING TO 16000 FT. ACFT #2, A C210 AT FL180, TFC SBY TO CVI. TOOK A POINTOUT ON THE C210 FROM ORF TWR. LIMITED DATA BLOCK AT FL180. THE LEARJET DEPARTING ORF WAS CLBING TO 16000 FT, WHEN I INADVERTENTLY ISSUED CLB TO FL230. AT THE TIME I WAS WORKING THE ROCKY MOUNT SECTOR AND THE FRANKLIN SECTOR COMBINED AND WAS SATURATED WITH TFC IN BOTH SECTORS. ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO A VFR ACFT WHICH DEPARTED PGU LOOKING FOR AN IFR CLRNC. WAS UNABLE DUE TO TFC IN THE VICINITY OF THE REQUESTING ACFT. PLT OF VFR CALLED 3 ADDITIONAL TIMES FOR CLRNC WHICH WAS STILL ABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR, THEN LOOKED UP AT FKN VOR AND SAW THE LJ25 PASSING THROUGH 16400 FT FOR FL230. TRIED TO STOP THE LEAR AT 17000 FT BUT PLT SAID HE HAD JUST GONE THROUGH IT. THEN EXPEDITED THE DSCNT BACK DOWN TO 17000 FT. I FEEL THAT MY ATTN HAD BEEN DIVERTED BY TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO THE VFR WHY I WAS UNABLE TO GIVE AN IFR CLRNC WHEN I ISSUED THE CLB TO THE LEARJET. IN THE FUTURE I FEEL STARTING A TRACK ON THE LIMITED DATA BLOCK AT FL180, OR CALLING THE ACFT 'RADAR CONTACT,' INSTEAD OF APPROVING A POINTOUT WILL ALLEVIATE THIS PARTICULAR SIT.

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.