Narrative:

I was the radar controller at the mys hi sector altitude limits FL350 and above. On my frequency was mlt X at FL390 adw to blv. Mlt X requested FL180 due to strong headwinds at the higher altitudes. The winds were 275 degrees, 130+ KTS. I clrd mlt X to des to FL370 to remain clear of 2 aircraft northbound at FL350. At this time I entered FL180 into the computer as assigned altitude and FL370 as temporary altitude. Also, I put a dodecagon on the radar target of mlt X. Prior to mlt X being clear of the northbound traffic, I put temporary altitude of FL240 in the data block of mlt X and handed mlt X off to pxv hi sector. The handoff was immediately accepted by pxv hi. When mlt X was clear of my northbound traffic I descended mlt X to FL240 and switched mlt X to pxv hi frequency. When pxv hi accepted the handoff on mlt X they placed an electronic pvd on my ssh on medium large transport Y swbnd at FL350. No verbal pointout, approval or coordination was made by pxv hi. Medium large transport Y entered my ssh airspace. After listening to the tapes and reviewing the multitudes of charts and graphs that our quality assurance department comes up with, I feel sep could have been maintained had the pxv hi controller taken action sooner and taken appropriate action. No action was taken for some time (1-2 mins) after mlt X checked on frequency. When action was taken to sep mlt X from medium large transport Y the pxv hi controller clrd, 'wrong air carrier mlt,' to turn to a heading. There was no response as the controller meant to turn medium large transport Y. However, in retrospect, had I not descended mlt X this would never have happened. Hindsight is always 20/20. Supplemental information from acn 80494: at the time I realized mlt X might be in confliction with medium large transport Y but thought to myself there was plenty of time to get mlt X under medium large transport Y. (I didn't realize mystic had northbound traffic he was waiting to clear). So, I continued to search for air carrier flight Z. Just as I found the location of this flight mlt X called on my frequency out of FL368 for FL240. I switched air carrier flight Z to the correct frequency and issued a 30 degree left turn to both aircraft and told mlt X to expedite through FL330. Sep was lost with 3.5 mi and the same altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLT DESCENDED INTO CONFLICT WITH ACR MLG RESULTING IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: I WAS THE RADAR CTLR AT THE MYS HI SECTOR ALT LIMITS FL350 AND ABOVE. ON MY FREQ WAS MLT X AT FL390 ADW TO BLV. MLT X REQUESTED FL180 DUE TO STRONG HEADWINDS AT THE HIGHER ALTS. THE WINDS WERE 275 DEGS, 130+ KTS. I CLRD MLT X TO DES TO FL370 TO REMAIN CLR OF 2 ACFT NBOUND AT FL350. AT THIS TIME I ENTERED FL180 INTO THE COMPUTER AS ASSIGNED ALT AND FL370 AS TEMPORARY ALT. ALSO, I PUT A DODECAGON ON THE RADAR TARGET OF MLT X. PRIOR TO MLT X BEING CLR OF THE NBOUND TFC, I PUT TEMPORARY ALT OF FL240 IN THE DATA BLOCK OF MLT X AND HANDED MLT X OFF TO PXV HI SECTOR. THE HANDOFF WAS IMMEDIATELY ACCEPTED BY PXV HI. WHEN MLT X WAS CLR OF MY NBOUND TFC I DESCENDED MLT X TO FL240 AND SWITCHED MLT X TO PXV HI FREQ. WHEN PXV HI ACCEPTED THE HANDOFF ON MLT X THEY PLACED AN ELECTRONIC PVD ON MY SSH ON MLG Y SWBND AT FL350. NO VERBAL POINTOUT, APPROVAL OR COORD WAS MADE BY PXV HI. MLG Y ENTERED MY SSH AIRSPACE. AFTER LISTENING TO THE TAPES AND REVIEWING THE MULTITUDES OF CHARTS AND GRAPHS THAT OUR QUALITY ASSURANCE DEPT COMES UP WITH, I FEEL SEP COULD HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED HAD THE PXV HI CTLR TAKEN ACTION SOONER AND TAKEN APPROPRIATE ACTION. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN FOR SOME TIME (1-2 MINS) AFTER MLT X CHKED ON FREQ. WHEN ACTION WAS TAKEN TO SEP MLT X FROM MLG Y THE PXV HI CTLR CLRD, 'WRONG ACR MLT,' TO TURN TO A HDG. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AS THE CTLR MEANT TO TURN MLG Y. HOWEVER, IN RETROSPECT, HAD I NOT DESCENDED MLT X THIS WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. HINDSIGHT IS ALWAYS 20/20. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 80494: AT THE TIME I REALIZED MLT X MIGHT BE IN CONFLICTION WITH MLG Y BUT THOUGHT TO MYSELF THERE WAS PLENTY OF TIME TO GET MLT X UNDER MLG Y. (I DIDN'T REALIZE MYSTIC HAD NBOUND TFC HE WAS WAITING TO CLR). SO, I CONTINUED TO SEARCH FOR ACR FLT Z. JUST AS I FOUND THE LOCATION OF THIS FLT MLT X CALLED ON MY FREQ OUT OF FL368 FOR FL240. I SWITCHED ACR FLT Z TO THE CORRECT FREQ AND ISSUED A 30 DEG LEFT TURN TO BOTH ACFT AND TOLD MLT X TO EXPEDITE THROUGH FL330. SEP WAS LOST WITH 3.5 MI AND THE SAME ALT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.