Narrative:

3 aircraft involved were aircraft X, F16 from fat on engine test flight route of flight and altitudes as per LOA. Air carrier Y off of smf at FL370 en route to los angeles basin. Air carrier Z off of los angeles basin en route to smf at FL350. Chain of events was aircraft X was issued a climb to block altitude of FL208-FL310 (as per LOA). Aircraft X was next requesting FL390-FL410. At first only conflicting aircraft was air carrier Z northbound at FL350 which was issued a heading of 345 degrees to stay away from aircraft X. Air carrier Y was issued block altitude FL390-FL410. Aircraft X was asked how long it would take to climb to FL390. Aircraft said 40 seconds. Air carrier Z was issued the climb to FL390 to FL410 and was told to expedite climb. Aircraft X now became traffic for air carrier Y at this point air carrier Y was at FL370 sbound on J7. Air carrier Y was issued a descent to FL330 to go under aircraft X. Climbing to block altitude FL390-FL410 1 min later this action was not working. So air carrier Z was issued a heading of 145 degrees to east of air carrier Z. This action now put aircraft X in conflict of air carrier Y which was still on a heading of 345 degrees. This action was noted: heading 145 degrees on air carrier Z was too much of easterly heading, this brought the 2 air carrier Y aircraft side-by-side at 4.09 mi and 1600 ft. A loss of standard ATC separation. To look back after the fact, the best thing to do was to keep aircraft X circling nlc a little longer at block altitude FL280-FL310 till both air carrier Y and air carrier Z had cleared.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOA CTLR MISJUDGED SEPARATION NEEDED BTWN CLBING F16 AND 2 ACR ACFT, OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND INCURS A LOSS OF SEPARATION.

Narrative: 3 ACFT INVOLVED WERE ACFT X, F16 FROM FAT ON ENG TEST FLT RTE OF FLT AND ALTS AS PER LOA. ACR Y OFF OF SMF AT FL370 ENRTE TO LOS ANGELES BASIN. ACR Z OFF OF LOS ANGELES BASIN ENRTE TO SMF AT FL350. CHAIN OF EVENTS WAS ACFT X WAS ISSUED A CLB TO BLOCK ALT OF FL208-FL310 (AS PER LOA). ACFT X WAS NEXT REQUESTING FL390-FL410. AT FIRST ONLY CONFLICTING ACFT WAS ACR Z NBOUND AT FL350 WHICH WAS ISSUED A HDG OF 345 DEGS TO STAY AWAY FROM ACFT X. ACR Y WAS ISSUED BLOCK ALT FL390-FL410. ACFT X WAS ASKED HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO CLB TO FL390. ACFT SAID 40 SECONDS. ACR Z WAS ISSUED THE CLB TO FL390 TO FL410 AND WAS TOLD TO EXPEDITE CLB. ACFT X NOW BECAME TFC FOR ACR Y AT THIS POINT ACR Y WAS AT FL370 SBOUND ON J7. ACR Y WAS ISSUED A DSCNT TO FL330 TO GO UNDER ACFT X. CLBING TO BLOCK ALT FL390-FL410 1 MIN LATER THIS ACTION WAS NOT WORKING. SO ACR Z WAS ISSUED A HDG OF 145 DEGS TO E OF ACR Z. THIS ACTION NOW PUT ACFT X IN CONFLICT OF ACR Y WHICH WAS STILL ON A HDG OF 345 DEGS. THIS ACTION WAS NOTED: HDG 145 DEGS ON ACR Z WAS TOO MUCH OF EASTERLY HDG, THIS BROUGHT THE 2 ACR Y ACFT SIDE-BY-SIDE AT 4.09 MI AND 1600 FT. A LOSS OF STANDARD ATC SEPARATION. TO LOOK BACK AFTER THE FACT, THE BEST THING TO DO WAS TO KEEP ACFT X CIRCLING NLC A LITTLE LONGER AT BLOCK ALT FL280-FL310 TILL BOTH ACR Y AND ACR Z HAD CLRED.

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.