S56 controller experienced operational error at 13000 ft; distracted by data block duties; the controller failed to note a confliction between two arrs to slc.

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Attributes
ACN	753513
Time
Date	200709
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ffu.vortac
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl single value : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : s56.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-90 Series (DC-9-90) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude ground : maintenance
Route In Use	arrival star : jammn
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : s56.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : spane
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 5 controller radar : 14 controller time certified in position1 : 6
ASRS Report	753513
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working the jordan position in a north flow. Air carrier X called inbound to slc on the spane arrival at 17000 ft. I descended the aircraft to 13000 ft. Air carrier Y called inbound to slc on the jammn arrival at 15000 ft. I descended the aircraft to 11000 ft. I then got involved with a VFR aircraft requesting IFR service. I got distraction trying to modify the VFR aircraft data tag to IFR. I then noticed the conflict and took corrective action. Air carrier X then stated they were responding to an RA. The process of modifying the data tag was complicated by some automation issues. I was unable to modify the tag because on initial generation the computer put the tag into handoff status. I did not notice this until I tried to modify the tag and was unable to do so. This distraction me just long enough that I was unable to maintain separation between air carrier X and air carrier Y.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: S56 CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT 13000 FT; DISTRACTED BY DATA BLOCK DUTIES; THE CTLR FAILED TO NOTE A CONFLICTION BETWEEN TWO ARRS TO SLC.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE JORDAN POS IN A N FLOW. ACR X CALLED INBOUND TO SLC ON THE SPANE ARR AT 17000 FT. I DSNDED THE ACFT TO 13000 FT. ACR Y CALLED INBOUND TO SLC ON THE JAMMN ARR AT 15000 FT. I DSNDED THE ACFT TO 11000 FT. I THEN GOT INVOLVED WITH A VFR ACFT REQUESTING IFR SVC. I GOT DISTR TRYING TO MODIFY THE VFR ACFT DATA TAG TO IFR. I THEN NOTICED THE CONFLICT AND TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION. ACR X THEN STATED THEY WERE RESPONDING TO AN RA. THE PROCESS OF MODIFYING THE DATA TAG WAS COMPLICATED BY SOME AUTOMATION ISSUES. I WAS UNABLE TO MODIFY THE TAG BECAUSE ON INITIAL GENERATION THE COMPUTER PUT THE TAG INTO HDOF STATUS. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS UNTIL I TRIED TO MODIFY THE TAG AND WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THIS DISTR ME JUST LONG ENOUGH THAT I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION BTWN ACR X AND ACR Y.

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.