ZBW controller experienced operational error with opposite direction air carrier's near FL310.

Attributes
ACN	640620
Time
Date	200412
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : alb.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.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 military : 7 controller radar : 21
ASRS Report	640620
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : combined radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 23
ASRS Report	639733
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft #1, sbound alb cmk at FL310. Aircraft #2 northbound at FL370 descending to FL290 with 30 degree right turn. Aircraft descending rapidly to get under other traffic. Attempted to stop at FL330. Too late -- aircraft went through FL330. Supplemental information from acn 639733: sector extremely busy and complex. Sbound aircraft at FL310. Eastbound aircraft descending through FL336 for FL290. Descending aircraft instructed to stop descent at FL330 but aircraft unable to stop descent until reaching FL322.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION ACR'S NEAR FL310.

Narrative: ACFT #1, SBOUND ALB CMK AT FL310. ACFT #2 NBOUND AT FL370 DSNDING TO FL290 WITH 30 DEG R TURN. ACFT DSNDING RAPIDLY TO GET UNDER OTHER TFC. ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT FL330. TOO LATE -- ACFT WENT THROUGH FL330. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 639733: SECTOR EXTREMELY BUSY AND COMPLEX. SBOUND ACFT AT FL310. EBOUND ACFT DSNDING THROUGH FL336 FOR FL290. DSNDING ACFT INSTRUCTED TO STOP DSCNT AT FL330 BUT ACFT UNABLE TO STOP DSCNT UNTIL REACHING FL322.

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.