ZDC controller involved in operational error due to unfamiliarity with refueling track protection.

Attributes
ACN	540977
Time
Date	200202
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : bross
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Stratotanker 135
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
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
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 12
ASRS Report	540977
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 22800 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : zdc.artcc
Airspace Structure	temporary use : capital and redskin refueling

Narrative:

Aircraft #1 was handed off from low altitude sector. His altitude selector asked for climb. I assumed aircraft #1 had gone back to previous sector. Aircraft #1 reported on my frequency level at FL230. I needed to climb aircraft to avoid conflict. I had previously climbed aircraft #2 to avoid aircraft #1. I believed aircraft #2 to be at a higher (out of aircraft 1's) altitude. Aircraft #1 leveled at aircraft #2's altitude. No problems are in effect to handle refueling aircraft in the capital and redskin military airspace over washington, dc. The captain and redskin airspace has been in effect since sep/tue/01. ZDC has not developed any procedures to handle these aircraft either entering or exiting this airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC CTLR INVOLVED IN OPERROR DUE TO UNFAMILIARITY WITH REFUELING TRACK PROTECTION.

Narrative: ACFT #1 WAS HANDED OFF FROM LOW ALT SECTOR. HIS ALT SELECTOR ASKED FOR CLB. I ASSUMED ACFT #1 HAD GONE BACK TO PREVIOUS SECTOR. ACFT #1 RPTED ON MY FREQ LEVEL AT FL230. I NEEDED TO CLB ACFT TO AVOID CONFLICT. I HAD PREVIOUSLY CLBED ACFT #2 TO AVOID ACFT #1. I BELIEVED ACFT #2 TO BE AT A HIGHER (OUT OF ACFT 1'S) ALT. ACFT #1 LEVELED AT ACFT #2'S ALT. NO PROBS ARE IN EFFECT TO HANDLE REFUELING ACFT IN THE CAPITAL AND REDSKIN MIL AIRSPACE OVER WASHINGTON, DC. THE CAPT AND REDSKIN AIRSPACE HAS BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE SEP/TUE/01. ZDC HAS NOT DEVELOPED ANY PROCS TO HANDLE THESE ACFT EITHER ENTERING OR EXITING THIS AIRSPACE.

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.