A very busy phl approach controller momentarily distraction with avoiding an overflt missed a DH8 commuter climbing and converging on traffic level at 8000 ft.

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Attributes
ACN	594662
Time
Date	200309
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl.tracon
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 cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller time certified in position1 : 13
ASRS Report	594662
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical inflight encounter : skydivers non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : radar mode c other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Heavy arrival and departure push at phl. I had approximately 10 or more aircraft. I stopped air carrier X at 8000 ft to tunnel under an overflt. I then turned him. Aircraft Y was on a converging course, I thought climbing to 8000 ft also. Noticing the conflict, I issued traffic alerts and instructions to both aircraft. I instructed aircraft X to turn left and climb immediately to 10000 ft, advised him of the traffic. I then issued aircraft Y an immediate left turn. As this was happening, I noticed aircraft Y mode C readout showing he was climbing through 8300 ft. I then told air carrier X to hold his altitude (8000 ft). He then stated he had the DH8 in sight and agreed he should not climb. It was my mistake period. Heavy sector volume, coupled with parachute jumps being conducted and receiving an aircraft that could not be started in the stars system only compounded the situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A VERY BUSY PHL APCH CTLR MOMENTARILY DISTR WITH AVOIDING AN OVERFLT MISSED A DH8 COMMUTER CLBING AND CONVERGING ON TFC LEVEL AT 8000 FT.

Narrative: HVY ARR AND DEP PUSH AT PHL. I HAD APPROX 10 OR MORE ACFT. I STOPPED ACR X AT 8000 FT TO TUNNEL UNDER AN OVERFLT. I THEN TURNED HIM. ACFT Y WAS ON A CONVERGING COURSE, I THOUGHT CLBING TO 8000 FT ALSO. NOTICING THE CONFLICT, I ISSUED TFC ALERTS AND INSTRUCTIONS TO BOTH ACFT. I INSTRUCTED ACFT X TO TURN L AND CLB IMMEDIATELY TO 10000 FT, ADVISED HIM OF THE TFC. I THEN ISSUED ACFT Y AN IMMEDIATE L TURN. AS THIS WAS HAPPENING, I NOTICED ACFT Y MODE C READOUT SHOWING HE WAS CLBING THROUGH 8300 FT. I THEN TOLD ACR X TO HOLD HIS ALT (8000 FT). HE THEN STATED HE HAD THE DH8 IN SIGHT AND AGREED HE SHOULD NOT CLB. IT WAS MY MISTAKE PERIOD. HVY SECTOR VOLUME, COUPLED WITH PARACHUTE JUMPS BEING CONDUCTED AND RECEIVING AN ACFT THAT COULD NOT BE STARTED IN THE STARS SYS ONLY COMPOUNDED THE SIT.

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.