Narrative:

I was working sector R91/R65 combined. I took the hand off from sector R42 for aircraft X and put in an interim altitude of FL280 due to the aircraft Y directly overhead at FL300. I also put a j-ring around the aircraft Y so as to let me know when I could climb aircraft X to his requested altitude. Aircraft X checked on from sector R42 climbing to FL250. I acknowledged aircraft X's check on and proceeded to climb him to FL380 and he read back FL380. I thought I had climbed aircraft X to FL280 since I had already put the interim altitude in the data block prior to him checking on and there was a j-ring over the aircraft that I had to miss when I was ready to give aircraft X his requested altitude. The next controller plugged into the sector and I began to give him a normal relief briefing. I unplugged after the briefing was done I proceeded to leave the area. About 2 minutes later; the relieving controller called me over and told me that aircraft X had climbed through FL290 and that the pilot had said that they were assigned FL380. I reported the incident to my flm (front line manager) and we proceeded to the OM to take a look at what happened. Recommendation; I am not sure what I would recommend to prevent this kind of situation. In my mind I had climbed aircraft X to FL280 because it was in the data block and there was a j-ring around the aircraft Y that I was supposed to miss. It was just an instance of my mind seeing and believing one thing to be true and then my mouth saying something that was completely different. If there was anything I could have done different is just to re-verify the assigned altitude of aircraft X and do that same procedure with any similar situations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAB controller experienced conflict event when failing to restrict climbing traffic below occupied altitude and failing to properly brief his/her relief.

Narrative: I was working Sector R91/R65 combined. I took the hand off from Sector R42 for Aircraft X and put in an interim altitude of FL280 due to the Aircraft Y directly overhead at FL300. I also put a J-Ring around the Aircraft Y so as to let me know when I could climb Aircraft X to his requested altitude. Aircraft X checked on from Sector R42 climbing to FL250. I acknowledged Aircraft X's check on and proceeded to climb him to FL380 and he read back FL380. I thought I had climbed Aircraft X to FL280 since I had already put the interim altitude in the data block prior to him checking on and there was a J-Ring over the aircraft that I had to miss when I was ready to give Aircraft X his requested altitude. The next controller plugged into the sector and I began to give him a normal relief briefing. I unplugged after the briefing was done I proceeded to leave the area. About 2 minutes later; the relieving controller called me over and told me that Aircraft X had climbed through FL290 and that the pilot had said that they were assigned FL380. I reported the incident to my FLM (Front Line Manager) and we proceeded to the OM to take a look at what happened. Recommendation; I am not sure what I would recommend to prevent this kind of situation. In my mind I had climbed Aircraft X to FL280 because it was in the data block and there was a J-Ring around the Aircraft Y that I was supposed to miss. It was just an instance of my mind seeing and believing one thing to be true and then my mouth saying something that was completely different. If there was anything I could have done different is just to re-verify the assigned altitude of Aircraft X and do that same procedure with any similar situations.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.