Aircraft X departs bwi airport, is on SID and on ARTCC frequency. Controller #1 issues pilot heading to intercept airway and changes aircraft to controller #2. Pilot misunderstands clearance and crosses airway to conflict with aircraft Y.

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Attributes
ACN	404057
Time
Date	199805
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eno
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 16
ASRS Report	404057
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 25200 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft #1 departed bwi on the swann 2 departure. Controller gave aircraft #1 10 degrees left to join J42 which was on the flight after the swann 2 (SWANN2.ood.J42.rbv). Aircraft #1 was shipped to new frequency where aircraft #2 was level at FL190. New controller climbed aircraft #1 to FL330. At the time aircraft #1 questioned what the previous controller wanted them to do with the 10 degree left turn. The aircraft #1 had passed the swann 2 departure route turn and was headed directly at aircraft #2 who was level at FL190 on the rbv arrival into ewr. Aircraft #1 was through 18600 ft at this time and was immediately turned 30 degrees left and told to expedite through FL200. Aircraft #2 was turned 20 degrees right and descended to FL180. Separation was lost. The previous controller's 10 degree turn to join the jet airway, instead of the radial of the degree, apparently led to confusion in the cockpit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT X DEPARTS BWI ARPT, IS ON SID AND ON ARTCC FREQ. CTLR #1 ISSUES PLT HEADING TO INTERCEPT AIRWAY AND CHANGES ACFT TO CTLR #2. PLT MISUNDERSTANDS CLRNC AND CROSSES AIRWAY TO CONFLICT WITH ACFT Y.

Narrative: ACFT #1 DEPARTED BWI ON THE SWANN 2 DEP. CTLR GAVE ACFT #1 10 DEGS L TO JOIN J42 WHICH WAS ON THE FLT AFTER THE SWANN 2 (SWANN2.OOD.J42.RBV). ACFT #1 WAS SHIPPED TO NEW FREQ WHERE ACFT #2 WAS LEVEL AT FL190. NEW CTLR CLBED ACFT #1 TO FL330. AT THE TIME ACFT #1 QUESTIONED WHAT THE PREVIOUS CTLR WANTED THEM TO DO WITH THE 10 DEG L TURN. THE ACFT #1 HAD PASSED THE SWANN 2 DEP RTE TURN AND WAS HEADED DIRECTLY AT ACFT #2 WHO WAS LEVEL AT FL190 ON THE RBV ARR INTO EWR. ACFT #1 WAS THROUGH 18600 FT AT THIS TIME AND WAS IMMEDIATELY TURNED 30 DEGS L AND TOLD TO EXPEDITE THROUGH FL200. ACFT #2 WAS TURNED 20 DEGS R AND DSNDED TO FL180. SEPARATION WAS LOST. THE PREVIOUS CTLR'S 10 DEG TURN TO JOIN THE JET AIRWAY, INSTEAD OF THE RADIAL OF THE DEG, APPARENTLY LED TO CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT.

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.