ZDC controller misses DC9 clearance readback and DC9 conflicts with same direction MD80.

Attributes
ACN	497434
Time
Date	200101
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mrb.vortac
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : j6.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.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
Route In Use	enroute airway : j6.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 0.9
ASRS Report	497434
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

The DC9 was on a heading to parallel the MD80 at FL310. The DC9 was climbing from FL290 to FL350. I gave the clearance to the DC9, 'resume normal speed, out of FL330, proceed direct martinsburg (mrb) resume J6.' the DC9 read back 'out of FL330, resume normal speed, direct mrb.' if pilots had to read back clrncs issued to them verbatim or reply 'wilco,' readback errors or misunderstandings would not occur.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC CTLR MISSES DC9 CLRNC READBACK AND DC9 CONFLICTS WITH SAME DIRECTION MD80.

Narrative: THE DC9 WAS ON A HDG TO PARALLEL THE MD80 AT FL310. THE DC9 WAS CLBING FROM FL290 TO FL350. I GAVE THE CLRNC TO THE DC9, 'RESUME NORMAL SPD, OUT OF FL330, PROCEED DIRECT MARTINSBURG (MRB) RESUME J6.' THE DC9 READ BACK 'OUT OF FL330, RESUME NORMAL SPD, DIRECT MRB.' IF PLTS HAD TO READ BACK CLRNCS ISSUED TO THEM VERBATIM OR REPLY 'WILCO,' READBACK ERRORS OR MISUNDERSTANDINGS WOULD NOT OCCUR.

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.