Narrative:

I was working sector 18 and received a departure from geg to pdx -- air carrier X. I climbed the aircraft to FL230 (requested altitude -- FL260). The sector 8 controller received a handoff from the high altitude sector (sector 11) on aircraft Y. The aircraft's data block had a temporary altitude of FL240 entered. The aircraft came over requesting descent to 12000 ft. Controller initiated a handoff to me on aircraft Y as he was direct and landing mwh (approximately 70 mi away). ATC descended the aircraft Y to 13000 ft and told him controller would have to coordinate with spokane approach control if he still wanted 12000 ft. I did a route readout on the aircraft Y and informed controller (sector 8 controller) that they should turn the aircraft Y out to the north, as he would get 'trapped' over the top of my departure. Controller had tried to enter the assigned altitude on aircraft Y but was unable to, as I had data block control. Controller instructed aircraft Y to turn right to 270 degrees for traffic. I then asked controller what altitude aircraft Y was descending to, because his data block still showed his assigned altitude as FL240. Controller said 'he is descending to 12000 ft.' this was not going to work with my departure and controller stopped the aircraft at FL190. I instructed air carrier X to maintain FL180 and as he was at 17800 ft at that time, that he would go through FL180 and had to descend back down to FL180. Separation was lost (500 ft/2.62 mi). If she had been able to enter the assigned altitude in the data block, we could have stopped the aircraft's climb/descent sooner and not lost separation. Or, if prior coordination had been done before descending the aircraft Y in my airspace, this could have been avoided. Supplemental information from acn 460772: in hindsight, I should have had the adjacent controller work the airplane right from the start. It would also have helped if I could have been able to enter the correct altitude in the data block so it would have accurately reflected what my aircraft was doing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZSE SECTOR 8 CTLR XFERS B767 DATA BLOCK WITH INCORRECT ALT TO ZSE SECTOR 18 CONFLICTING WITH CLBING FK28. INTRAFAC COORD NOT TIMELY TO RESOLVE SEPARATION CONFLICT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING SECTOR 18 AND RECEIVED A DEP FROM GEG TO PDX -- ACR X. I CLBED THE ACFT TO FL230 (REQUESTED ALT -- FL260). THE SECTOR 8 CTLR RECEIVED A HDOF FROM THE HIGH ALT SECTOR (SECTOR 11) ON ACFT Y. THE ACFT'S DATA BLOCK HAD A TEMPORARY ALT OF FL240 ENTERED. THE ACFT CAME OVER REQUESTING DSCNT TO 12000 FT. CTLR INITIATED A HDOF TO ME ON ACFT Y AS HE WAS DIRECT AND LNDG MWH (APPROX 70 MI AWAY). ATC DSNDED THE ACFT Y TO 13000 FT AND TOLD HIM CTLR WOULD HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH SPOKANE APCH CTL IF HE STILL WANTED 12000 FT. I DID A RTE READOUT ON THE ACFT Y AND INFORMED CTLR (SECTOR 8 CTLR) THAT THEY SHOULD TURN THE ACFT Y OUT TO THE N, AS HE WOULD GET 'TRAPPED' OVER THE TOP OF MY DEP. CTLR HAD TRIED TO ENTER THE ASSIGNED ALT ON ACFT Y BUT WAS UNABLE TO, AS I HAD DATA BLOCK CTL. CTLR INSTRUCTED ACFT Y TO TURN R TO 270 DEGS FOR TFC. I THEN ASKED CTLR WHAT ALT ACFT Y WAS DSNDING TO, BECAUSE HIS DATA BLOCK STILL SHOWED HIS ASSIGNED ALT AS FL240. CTLR SAID 'HE IS DSNDING TO 12000 FT.' THIS WAS NOT GOING TO WORK WITH MY DEP AND CTLR STOPPED THE ACFT AT FL190. I INSTRUCTED ACR X TO MAINTAIN FL180 AND AS HE WAS AT 17800 FT AT THAT TIME, THAT HE WOULD GO THROUGH FL180 AND HAD TO DSND BACK DOWN TO FL180. SEPARATION WAS LOST (500 FT/2.62 MI). IF SHE HAD BEEN ABLE TO ENTER THE ASSIGNED ALT IN THE DATA BLOCK, WE COULD HAVE STOPPED THE ACFT'S CLB/DSCNT SOONER AND NOT LOST SEPARATION. OR, IF PRIOR COORD HAD BEEN DONE BEFORE DSNDING THE ACFT Y IN MY AIRSPACE, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 460772: IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD HAVE HAD THE ADJACENT CTLR WORK THE AIRPLANE RIGHT FROM THE START. IT WOULD ALSO HAVE HELPED IF I COULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ENTER THE CORRECT ALT IN THE DATA BLOCK SO IT WOULD HAVE ACCURATELY REFLECTED WHAT MY ACFT WAS DOING.

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.