Narrative:

I was working sector 16 at ZAB. I was working aircraft X (BE90) inbound to saf from the north for the visual approach. I also had a G5 inbound from the south on a visual approach into saf. My d-side had cleared a golden eagle off saf northbound climbing to 16000 ft and I had cleared aircraft X to descend at pilot's discretion to maintain 11000 ft. Upon seeing the departure in radar I attempted to turn both aircraft and keep them climbing. I reevaluated the situation and stopped aircraft X at 14000 ft and stopped the golden eagle at 13000 ft. I called traffic to both aircraft at about 7 mi and 4000 ft apart. A few mins later aircraft X reported the traffic at 9 O'clock position; I then cleared aircraft X to descend and maintain 9000 ft and the golden eagle to climb and maintain FL230. Aircraft X then said he needed to make a 360 degree to lose some altitude. I asked if he wanted to make a left or right 360 degrees; he responded with a left 360 degrees. I again stated for aircraft X to maintain visual separation from the golden eagle; he responded with a 'roger.' I was attempting to use diverging traffic procedures when aircraft X's transmission came in scratchy and slightly garbled. I heard what I thought was a traffic passing call and cleared aircraft X for lower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAB CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT 14000 WHEN ATTEMPTING TO APPLY VISUAL SEPARATION BETWEEN AN ARR AND DEP ACFT FROM SAF.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING SECTOR 16 AT ZAB. I WAS WORKING ACFT X (BE90) INBOUND TO SAF FROM THE N FOR THE VISUAL APCH. I ALSO HAD A G5 INBOUND FROM THE S ON A VISUAL APCH INTO SAF. MY D-SIDE HAD CLRED A GOLDEN EAGLE OFF SAF NBOUND CLBING TO 16000 FT AND I HAD CLRED ACFT X TO DSND AT PLT'S DISCRETION TO MAINTAIN 11000 FT. UPON SEEING THE DEP IN RADAR I ATTEMPTED TO TURN BOTH ACFT AND KEEP THEM CLBING. I REEVALUATED THE SITUATION AND STOPPED ACFT X AT 14000 FT AND STOPPED THE GOLDEN EAGLE AT 13000 FT. I CALLED TFC TO BOTH ACFT AT ABOUT 7 MI AND 4000 FT APART. A FEW MINS LATER ACFT X RPTED THE TFC AT 9 O'CLOCK POS; I THEN CLRED ACFT X TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 9000 FT AND THE GOLDEN EAGLE TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL230. ACFT X THEN SAID HE NEEDED TO MAKE A 360 DEG TO LOSE SOME ALT. I ASKED IF HE WANTED TO MAKE A L OR R 360 DEGS; HE RESPONDED WITH A L 360 DEGS. I AGAIN STATED FOR ACFT X TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE GOLDEN EAGLE; HE RESPONDED WITH A 'ROGER.' I WAS ATTEMPTING TO USE DIVERGING TFC PROCS WHEN ACFT X'S XMISSION CAME IN SCRATCHY AND SLIGHTLY GARBLED. I HEARD WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A TFC PASSING CALL AND CLRED ACFT X FOR LOWER.

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.