Narrative:

I was working moderate traffic. I took a handoff on the aircraft going northbound and who was tunneling below phl departures. This is a somewhat unusual position for this aircraft. I climbed the aircraft to 10000 ft as soon as possible. I had taken a handoff on the LJ60; sbound (opposite direction to the aircraft) at 6000 ft. This aircraft was direct to its destination; also a little out of the ordinary. The LJ60 also had traffic below it that prevented me from descending it in a timely manner. Also at that same time; I had to initiate a manual handoff to ptc TRACON on an IFR overflt that would not automatic-handoff. About 6 seconds after completing this handoff; the conflict alert went off and separation was lost. I issued an immediate turn to the LJ60 and both aircraft were responding to TCAS alerts. The unusual position of the aircraft as they were handed off to me were a factor. But the manual handoff of the overflt was also a major factor. Having both aircraft on more standard rtes (away from phl departures) and being able to handoff the overflt through automation would have prevented this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PHL CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT 6000 FT WHEN MISJUDGING TIME AND DISTANCE REQUIRED TO SEPARATE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING MODERATE TFC. I TOOK A HDOF ON THE ACFT GOING NBOUND AND WHO WAS TUNNELING BELOW PHL DEPS. THIS IS A SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL POS FOR THIS ACFT. I CLBED THE ACFT TO 10000 FT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I HAD TAKEN A HDOF ON THE LJ60; SBOUND (OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO THE ACFT) AT 6000 FT. THIS ACFT WAS DIRECT TO ITS DEST; ALSO A LITTLE OUT OF THE ORDINARY. THE LJ60 ALSO HAD TFC BELOW IT THAT PREVENTED ME FROM DSNDING IT IN A TIMELY MANNER. ALSO AT THAT SAME TIME; I HAD TO INITIATE A MANUAL HDOF TO PTC TRACON ON AN IFR OVERFLT THAT WOULD NOT AUTO-HDOF. ABOUT 6 SECONDS AFTER COMPLETING THIS HDOF; THE CONFLICT ALERT WENT OFF AND SEPARATION WAS LOST. I ISSUED AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO THE LJ60 AND BOTH ACFT WERE RESPONDING TO TCAS ALERTS. THE UNUSUAL POS OF THE ACFT AS THEY WERE HANDED OFF TO ME WERE A FACTOR. BUT THE MANUAL HDOF OF THE OVERFLT WAS ALSO A MAJOR FACTOR. HAVING BOTH ACFT ON MORE STANDARD RTES (AWAY FROM PHL DEPS) AND BEING ABLE TO HDOF THE OVERFLT THROUGH AUTOMATION WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT.

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.