ARTCC controller at ZAB descended a B737 that conflicted with an MD80 opposite direction.

Attributes
ACN	476500
Time
Date	200006
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : abq.vortac
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	arrival star : miera two arrival
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 13
ASRS Report	476500
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 1500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working sector 94 southeast of abq (all altitudes). Air carrier X wbound, landing. Abq checked on at FL350. Shortly after was given clearance to cross miera at 15000 ft. A couple of mins later, air carrier Y (a nebound from onm to ict) checked on at FL330. I turned air carrier X 10 degrees left for air carrier Z (an saf) departure sebound, climbing to FL290. I advised air carrier X to expect direct abq and reclred them to cross 35 mi east of abq at 15000 ft. A couple of mins later, I turned air carrier X to a 250 degree heading (10 degrees left) for air carrier Z. When air carrier X was no factor with air carrier Z, I turned them direct abq. Air carrier X, using call sign air carrier xy, advised out of FL350. A moment later, air carrier X, again using call sign air carrier xy, advised 'we are stopping descent for traffic 1500 ft in front of us!' about the same time conflict alert activated. I cleared air carrier X to climb to FL350, but loss of separation had occurred. Air carrier X was given clearance to 15000 ft when clear of air carrier Y.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC CTLR AT ZAB DSNDED A B737 THAT CONFLICTED WITH AN MD80 OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING SECTOR 94 SE OF ABQ (ALL ALTS). ACR X WBOUND, LNDG. ABQ CHKED ON AT FL350. SHORTLY AFTER WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS MIERA AT 15000 FT. A COUPLE OF MINS LATER, ACR Y (A NEBOUND FROM ONM TO ICT) CHKED ON AT FL330. I TURNED ACR X 10 DEGS L FOR ACR Z (AN SAF) DEP SEBOUND, CLBING TO FL290. I ADVISED ACR X TO EXPECT DIRECT ABQ AND RECLRED THEM TO CROSS 35 MI E OF ABQ AT 15000 FT. A COUPLE OF MINS LATER, I TURNED ACR X TO A 250 DEG HDG (10 DEGS L) FOR ACR Z. WHEN ACR X WAS NO FACTOR WITH ACR Z, I TURNED THEM DIRECT ABQ. ACR X, USING CALL SIGN ACR XY, ADVISED OUT OF FL350. A MOMENT LATER, ACR X, AGAIN USING CALL SIGN ACR XY, ADVISED 'WE ARE STOPPING DSCNT FOR TFC 1500 FT IN FRONT OF US!' ABOUT THE SAME TIME CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED. I CLRED ACR X TO CLB TO FL350, BUT LOSS OF SEPARATION HAD OCCURRED. ACR X WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO 15000 FT WHEN CLR OF ACR Y.

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.