Crossover loss of separation at ZNY.

Attributes
ACN	575875
Time
Date	200302
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zny.artcc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 5.5 controller radar : 1.5
ASRS Report	575875
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 14400 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

The DH8 was climbing sebound over dunkirk VOR. The B737 was descending to land buffalo with a restr to cross dkk at 11000 ft MSL. The DH8 was cleared to 15000 ft, but I forgot to put that in the data block. Therefore, it was showing 14000 ft. I amended the B737 to 15000 ft and cleared to buffalo. After they passed, the conflict alert went off, and the loss of separation was observed. No evasive action was taken on my part or by pilots. This dunkirk sector of ATC is a complex area with almost all aircraft transitioning altitudes climbing or descending. A better flow of aircraft is needed. Task saturation can happen quickly, therefore, putting the controller behind the 'power curve.' close attention needs to be given to each control instruction and to prevent hearback-readback errors.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CROSSOVER LOSS OF SEPARATION AT ZNY.

Narrative: THE DH8 WAS CLBING SEBOUND OVER DUNKIRK VOR. THE B737 WAS DSNDING TO LAND BUFFALO WITH A RESTR TO CROSS DKK AT 11000 FT MSL. THE DH8 WAS CLRED TO 15000 FT, BUT I FORGOT TO PUT THAT IN THE DATA BLOCK. THEREFORE, IT WAS SHOWING 14000 FT. I AMENDED THE B737 TO 15000 FT AND CLRED TO BUFFALO. AFTER THEY PASSED, THE CONFLICT ALERT WENT OFF, AND THE LOSS OF SEPARATION WAS OBSERVED. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN ON MY PART OR BY PLTS. THIS DUNKIRK SECTOR OF ATC IS A COMPLEX AREA WITH ALMOST ALL ACFT TRANSITIONING ALTS CLBING OR DSNDING. A BETTER FLOW OF ACFT IS NEEDED. TASK SATURATION CAN HAPPEN QUICKLY, THEREFORE, PUTTING THE CTLR BEHIND THE 'PWR CURVE.' CLOSE ATTN NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TO EACH CTL INSTRUCTION AND TO PREVENT HEARBACK-READBACK ERRORS.

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.