Loss of traffic separation near bwi, md. WX avoidance in progress.

Attributes
ACN	482365
Time
Date	200008
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 36000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Gates Learjet Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 16 controller time certified in position1 : 2
ASRS Report	482365
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory
Miss Distance	horizontal : 26400 vertical : 1300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Thunderstorms were in the area. We took radar contact on the learjet because he was deviating into our airspace climbing out of FL310 for FL390 swbound. Called the handoff controller of the next sector to let him know that the learjet was coming. He said stop the lear at FL350. Opposite direction traffic at FL370. I told my radar person to stop the lear at FL350. It was done. A very short time later, the other radar person called me and said climb the lear to FL390. I said okay. After a second I called the other radar person back and said are you sure you want the lear climbing to FL390? He said yes. I told my radar person what the other controller wanted. Figuring the other controller had the master plan, the radar controller climbed the lear to FL390 and switched him. Next thing we know the air carrier is on our frequency at FL390 with the lear in his face climbing! (About 9 mi apart) my radar person turned the air carrier to the left and descended him, and called traffic. To make matters worse, the lear came back to our frequency asking 'what was that frequency again?' you could imagine our surprise. My radar person turned the lear immediately to the left. The receiving controller's judgement is definitely questionable.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF TFC SEPARATION NEAR BWI, MD. WX AVOIDANCE IN PROGRESS.

Narrative: TSTMS WERE IN THE AREA. WE TOOK RADAR CONTACT ON THE LEARJET BECAUSE HE WAS DEVIATING INTO OUR AIRSPACE CLBING OUT OF FL310 FOR FL390 SWBOUND. CALLED THE HDOF CTLR OF THE NEXT SECTOR TO LET HIM KNOW THAT THE LEARJET WAS COMING. HE SAID STOP THE LEAR AT FL350. OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC AT FL370. I TOLD MY RADAR PERSON TO STOP THE LEAR AT FL350. IT WAS DONE. A VERY SHORT TIME LATER, THE OTHER RADAR PERSON CALLED ME AND SAID CLB THE LEAR TO FL390. I SAID OKAY. AFTER A SECOND I CALLED THE OTHER RADAR PERSON BACK AND SAID ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT THE LEAR CLBING TO FL390? HE SAID YES. I TOLD MY RADAR PERSON WHAT THE OTHER CTLR WANTED. FIGURING THE OTHER CTLR HAD THE MASTER PLAN, THE RADAR CTLR CLBED THE LEAR TO FL390 AND SWITCHED HIM. NEXT THING WE KNOW THE ACR IS ON OUR FREQ AT FL390 WITH THE LEAR IN HIS FACE CLBING! (ABOUT 9 MI APART) MY RADAR PERSON TURNED THE ACR TO THE L AND DSNDED HIM, AND CALLED TFC. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THE LEAR CAME BACK TO OUR FREQ ASKING 'WHAT WAS THAT FREQ AGAIN?' YOU COULD IMAGINE OUR SURPRISE. MY RADAR PERSON TURNED THE LEAR IMMEDIATELY TO THE L. THE RECEIVING CTLR'S JUDGEMENT IS DEFINITELY QUESTIONABLE.

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.