Narrative:

I relieved a trainee and instructor team at lou sector with mys sector combined. The trainee was slightly behind and several things needed to be accomplished quickly. Almost immediately after taking the sector; the asic advised us to split the mys sector. This created some confusion and the aid of the radar associate controller was needed. Complexity was increasing due to the multi-tasking of splitting an already busy sector and trying to 'catch-up' an already behind sector. At this time; it became apparent that the mys radar controller's headset had failed. Aircraft #1 was issued a vector at FL280 to facilitate a higher altitude. About this time; and without my consent; my radar associate controller left the sector to aid the mys radar controller. I intended to climb aircraft #1 as soon as they cleared overhead traffic. Unfortunately there was even greater distraction at this point as multiple aircraft were calling; including those returning from mys sector; I was receiving additional landline calls due to the absence of my radar associate controller; and the sector was still not 'caught-up.' aircraft #1 was left at FL280 too long and conflicted with aircraft #2. I believe that ca and oedp activated at the same time at which point aircraft #2 had already implemented a TCAS RA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZID CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL280 DURING BUSY; COMPLEX TFC PERIOD AND DE-COMBINING POS.

Narrative: I RELIEVED A TRAINEE AND INSTRUCTOR TEAM AT LOU SECTOR WITH MYS SECTOR COMBINED. THE TRAINEE WAS SLIGHTLY BEHIND AND SEVERAL THINGS NEEDED TO BE ACCOMPLISHED QUICKLY. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKING THE SECTOR; THE ASIC ADVISED US TO SPLIT THE MYS SECTOR. THIS CREATED SOME CONFUSION AND THE AID OF THE RADAR ASSOCIATE CTLR WAS NEEDED. COMPLEXITY WAS INCREASING DUE TO THE MULTI-TASKING OF SPLITTING AN ALREADY BUSY SECTOR AND TRYING TO 'CATCH-UP' AN ALREADY BEHIND SECTOR. AT THIS TIME; IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE MYS RADAR CTLR'S HEADSET HAD FAILED. ACFT #1 WAS ISSUED A VECTOR AT FL280 TO FACILITATE A HIGHER ALT. ABOUT THIS TIME; AND WITHOUT MY CONSENT; MY RADAR ASSOCIATE CTLR LEFT THE SECTOR TO AID THE MYS RADAR CTLR. I INTENDED TO CLB ACFT #1 AS SOON AS THEY CLRED OVERHEAD TFC. UNFORTUNATELY THERE WAS EVEN GREATER DISTR AT THIS POINT AS MULTIPLE ACFT WERE CALLING; INCLUDING THOSE RETURNING FROM MYS SECTOR; I WAS RECEIVING ADDITIONAL LANDLINE CALLS DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF MY RADAR ASSOCIATE CTLR; AND THE SECTOR WAS STILL NOT 'CAUGHT-UP.' ACFT #1 WAS LEFT AT FL280 TOO LONG AND CONFLICTED WITH ACFT #2. I BELIEVE THAT CA AND OEDP ACTIVATED AT THE SAME TIME AT WHICH POINT ACFT #2 HAD ALREADY IMPLEMENTED A TCAS RA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.