Narrative:

While working the florence sector (R71) I was transitioning aircraft out of a holding stack over the ctf VOR onto the arrival into charlotte; nc. I made a decision to descend an aircraft at FL210 to 17000 ft through the altitude of an aircraft in the holding stack at FL200. I initiated a vector to the aircraft at FL210 and scanned traffic and determined that I had speed and distance (7.5 mi) in front of the aircraft at FL200. I initiated a descent to the aircraft at FL210 to 17000 ft. A few moments later separation was reduced to 3.5 mi. I have performed these type control actions many times before and am still confounded at how fast separation was lost. Relevant factors: I split this sector from another sector R72 columbia. R72 had been moved physically the night before; as the area is currently being realigned. R72 and R71 have sat side-by-side during my yrs at this facility. During this event they were about 20 ft apart. This made splitting the sectors quite a bit more difficult. There was quite a bit of indecision on the part of 2 supervisors whether to split the sectors or not. I was instructed to split R71 off from R72. I assumed the position at R71 and was signed onto a live sector for 10 mins before I could finally assume control. During that 10 mins there was quite a bit of discussion between the supervisors and the R72 controller; whether to continue the split or not; which finally was completed. Both of these issues were very frustrating to me and may have contributed to the error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZJX CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL200 WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DESCEND TFC IN HOLDING TO LOWER ALT BY VECTORING CLEAR OF THE PATTERN.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING THE FLORENCE SECTOR (R71) I WAS TRANSITIONING ACFT OUT OF A HOLDING STACK OVER THE CTF VOR ONTO THE ARR INTO CHARLOTTE; NC. I MADE A DECISION TO DSND AN ACFT AT FL210 TO 17000 FT THROUGH THE ALT OF AN ACFT IN THE HOLDING STACK AT FL200. I INITIATED A VECTOR TO THE ACFT AT FL210 AND SCANNED TFC AND DETERMINED THAT I HAD SPD AND DISTANCE (7.5 MI) IN FRONT OF THE ACFT AT FL200. I INITIATED A DSCNT TO THE ACFT AT FL210 TO 17000 FT. A FEW MOMENTS LATER SEPARATION WAS REDUCED TO 3.5 MI. I HAVE PERFORMED THESE TYPE CTL ACTIONS MANY TIMES BEFORE AND AM STILL CONFOUNDED AT HOW FAST SEPARATION WAS LOST. RELEVANT FACTORS: I SPLIT THIS SECTOR FROM ANOTHER SECTOR R72 COLUMBIA. R72 HAD BEEN MOVED PHYSICALLY THE NIGHT BEFORE; AS THE AREA IS CURRENTLY BEING REALIGNED. R72 AND R71 HAVE SAT SIDE-BY-SIDE DURING MY YRS AT THIS FACILITY. DURING THIS EVENT THEY WERE ABOUT 20 FT APART. THIS MADE SPLITTING THE SECTORS QUITE A BIT MORE DIFFICULT. THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF INDECISION ON THE PART OF 2 SUPVRS WHETHER TO SPLIT THE SECTORS OR NOT. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO SPLIT R71 OFF FROM R72. I ASSUMED THE POS AT R71 AND WAS SIGNED ONTO A LIVE SECTOR FOR 10 MINS BEFORE I COULD FINALLY ASSUME CTL. DURING THAT 10 MINS THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION BTWN THE SUPVRS AND THE R72 CTLR; WHETHER TO CONTINUE THE SPLIT OR NOT; WHICH FINALLY WAS COMPLETED. BOTH OF THESE ISSUES WERE VERY FRUSTRATING TO ME AND MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ERROR.

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.