ZKC controller experienced a loss of separation with opposite direction traffic when accepting a mis...

Narrative:

I was working sector 62 radar combined with sector 72 with a d-side. Weather was impacting the sector with scattered cells to the south side and numerous deviations. Frequency congestion was also a factor. An E145 was handed to me north of my sector landing sgf out of FL300 descending at approximately 3000 FPM. This aircraft should have been handed off to trails sector 42 so I bought it and flashed to them to try and facilitate the hand-off. Sector 42 bought the hand-off but the E145 showed up on my frequency. I made sure 42 was watching; then descended the E145 to FL190 because of traffic; a BE58 in his face at FL180. Was to busy to watch it close enough to try to get the E145 under the BE58. Thought I heard the E145 say he saw the traffic passing off his right; in actuality he never said 'passing' just that he had him in sight well off the right. Thinking I was good; I descended the E145 and shipped him to approach so they could continue his decent. Later I was informed it was a deal. I misapplied the rule. In hind sight; I will never again work an aircraft that should be worked by another controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZKC Controller experienced a loss of separation with opposite direction traffic when accepting a misdirected hand off and trying to facilitate the correct procedure; noting future plans to refuse procedural errors.

Narrative: I was working Sector 62 RADAR combined with Sector 72 with a D-Side. Weather was impacting the sector with scattered cells to the south side and numerous deviations. Frequency congestion was also a factor. An E145 was handed to me north of my sector landing SGF out of FL300 descending at approximately 3000 FPM. This aircraft should have been handed off to Trails Sector 42 so I bought it and flashed to them to try and facilitate the hand-off. Sector 42 bought the hand-off but the E145 showed up on my frequency. I made sure 42 was watching; then descended the E145 to FL190 because of traffic; a BE58 in his face at FL180. Was to busy to watch it close enough to try to get the E145 under the BE58. Thought I heard the E145 say he saw the traffic passing off his right; in actuality he never said 'passing' just that he had him in sight well off the right. Thinking I was good; I descended the E145 and shipped him to Approach so they could continue his decent. Later I was informed it was a deal. I misapplied the rule. In hind sight; I will never again work an aircraft that should be worked by another controller.

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.

Attributes
ACN	894110
Time
Date	201006
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZKC.ARTCC
State Reference	KS
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

ZKC controller experienced a loss of separation with opposite direction traffic when accepting a misdirected hand off and trying to facilitate the correct procedure; noting future plans to refuse procedural errors.