ZID radar handoff controller inadvertently drops data block resulting in an operational error.

Attributes
ACN	587908
Time
Date	200307
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : hvq.vor
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl single value : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, 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 controller : handoff position flight crew : captain
Qualification	controller : developmental
Experience	controller time certified in position2 : 10
ASRS Report	587908
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

A pointout was made to my sector with an aircraft X climbing to FL230. We had a stream of cvg inbounds at FL240. I tried to move the data block of the aircraft X (the pointout) to another sector knowing he was going to be level for a time. I accidentally moved the data block off the scope instead of to the next sector. The data block was not displayed, there was congestion in the area, the limited data block was not clearly visible of the dropped aircraft X and another aircraft X was descended on top of the aircraft Y pointout at FL230. The situation was not realized until conflict alert went off.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZID RADAR HDOF CTLR INADVERTENTLY DROPS DATA BLOCK RESULTING IN AN OPERROR.

Narrative: A POINTOUT WAS MADE TO MY SECTOR WITH AN ACFT X CLBING TO FL230. WE HAD A STREAM OF CVG INBOUNDS AT FL240. I TRIED TO MOVE THE DATA BLOCK OF THE ACFT X (THE POINTOUT) TO ANOTHER SECTOR KNOWING HE WAS GOING TO BE LEVEL FOR A TIME. I ACCIDENTALLY MOVED THE DATA BLOCK OFF THE SCOPE INSTEAD OF TO THE NEXT SECTOR. THE DATA BLOCK WAS NOT DISPLAYED, THERE WAS CONGESTION IN THE AREA, THE LIMITED DATA BLOCK WAS NOT CLRLY VISIBLE OF THE DROPPED ACFT X AND ANOTHER ACFT X WAS DSNDED ON TOP OF THE ACFT Y POINTOUT AT FL230. THE SIT WAS NOT REALIZED UNTIL CONFLICT ALERT WENT OFF.

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.