Narrative:

Handoff flashed to sector 4 climbing to FL290. Sector 32 retracted handoff and changed altitude climbing to FL330 and reflashed within 10 mi for sector boundary. I saw climb to FL290, checked strips and accepted radar handoff before I realized the change had been made by sector 32. High altitude sectors should not be allowed to change data blocks within 15 mi of sector boundaries and the aircraft should be level unless pmor coordination is accomplished. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter says both were air carrier aircraft. Air carrier X was coming from gve sector 32 into reporter sector 4. Reporter had traffic at FL310 and FL350 and was not concerned about accepting air carrier X because he thought that aircraft was stopped at FL290. Data printout showed that FL290 had been flashing for about 2 mins prior to radar handoff being recalled and changed. Air carrier Y at FL310 had been handed off to another sector so when air carrier X came on frequency and C/a activated the reporter gave X a 40 degree right turn. Aircraft passed with 4.2 mi latitude and 900' vertical sep. Incident classified as minor operational error. Air carrier X was at FL301 at closest point. Reporter says that controllers in ZDC still working a lot of overtime.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 ACR ACFT. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: HDOF FLASHED TO SECTOR 4 CLBING TO FL290. SECTOR 32 RETRACTED HDOF AND CHANGED ALT CLBING TO FL330 AND REFLASHED WITHIN 10 MI FOR SECTOR BOUNDARY. I SAW CLB TO FL290, CHKED STRIPS AND ACCEPTED RADAR HDOF BEFORE I REALIZED THE CHANGE HAD BEEN MADE BY SECTOR 32. HIGH ALT SECTORS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CHANGE DATA BLOCKS WITHIN 15 MI OF SECTOR BOUNDARIES AND THE ACFT SHOULD BE LEVEL UNLESS PMOR COORD IS ACCOMPLISHED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR SAYS BOTH WERE ACR ACFT. ACR X WAS COMING FROM GVE SECTOR 32 INTO RPTR SECTOR 4. RPTR HAD TFC AT FL310 AND FL350 AND WAS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT ACCEPTING ACR X BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THAT ACFT WAS STOPPED AT FL290. DATA PRINTOUT SHOWED THAT FL290 HAD BEEN FLASHING FOR ABOUT 2 MINS PRIOR TO RADAR HDOF BEING RECALLED AND CHANGED. ACR Y AT FL310 HAD BEEN HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER SECTOR SO WHEN ACR X CAME ON FREQ AND C/A ACTIVATED THE RPTR GAVE X A 40 DEG RIGHT TURN. ACFT PASSED WITH 4.2 MI LAT AND 900' VERT SEP. INCIDENT CLASSIFIED AS MINOR OPERROR. ACR X WAS AT FL301 AT CLOSEST POINT. RPTR SAYS THAT CTLRS IN ZDC STILL WORKING A LOT OF OVERTIME.

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.