Narrative:

This was an atops non radar event. Aircraft Y asked who the airplane five miles in front of him; at the same altitude; same route; was; and was it ok. (My words; I don't really remember the conversation). I need 10 minutes at the same altitude. So five miles; at eight miles a minute is; approximately 35 seconds. They were close.to begin with; when the controller took the estimate from the adjacent abcd center on aircraft X; for what ever reason; he did not enter it in the system. But he did approve the altitude. So aircraft X did not exist as far as atops was concerned. Aircraft Y progressed on flight plan. About fifteen minutes later I received the progress. I entered it in the machine. Suddenly I had nine minutes; thirty seconds in front of other traffic. I need ten minutes. But I had time to fix it. Later; I probed FL340 for the aircraft Y; and it showed good. I had to wait until the aircraft progressed another fix before I could climb the aircraft. So I asked the aircraft Y if he was able FL340; he said yes. When aircraft Y was south of the fix; I climbed him to FL340. I checked the atops and atops said no conflicts. I climbed aircraft Y to FL340. I don't have the time frame but about ten minutes later a data block was in my airspace flashing; cdn (coordination). I thought ok I need to call the abcd center and find out whats going on with this aircraft. Suddenly abcd center called with some estimates. I took about four estimates then it was my turn. The next set of events happened quickly. I asked about aircraft X; abcd center said he was coordinated. I said I wasn't showing coordination. So I took the estimate on aircraft X. When abcd center said FL340; I knew I had a major problem. Commercial radio called and I knew. But I couldn't process the coordination with abcd because aircraft X was too far past the boundary. I was able to process it another way; emergency altitude aircraft X at FL340; picked up commercial radio and the operator said something like this; aircraft Y asked who the airplane five miles in front of him; at the same altitude; same route; was. And was it ok. I literally stumbled through a clearance. I couldn't climb aircraft Y to FL350 because traffic was very close; FL320 also had traffic; I don't remember how close. I knew FL330 was ok; but I only had eight minutes with the other traffic now; but I felt it was my safest move. I descended the aircraft Y to FL330 then slowed the other traffic to MD80. I was so shaken; I was barely able to get the clearance out. Backing up; right after I issued the decent clearance to aircraft Y to FL330; I called for a supervisor; stating I had a near mid-air. I really don't know what I had but a major loss of separation. I was so shaken I asked to get up immediately. I was no longer able to function as a controller. Basically it was a what you see is what you got; I explained quickly what I did. I told her she had to take care of the situation between aircraft Y and other traffic; who were eight minutes apart. I think she could see my state of mind; she jumped in and with in ten minutes had the sector per the 7110.65. Like we are trained; read the blue. Which means when you approve an aircraft into your area non-radar; the information in the coordination window turns blue. That is the info you read back. I don't think this was done.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Oceanic controller reported flight data on an aircraft was not put into ATOPS computer; resulting in a loss of separation with another aircraft. Pilot reported same event from flight crew view.

Narrative: This was an ATOPS non radar event. Aircraft Y asked who the airplane five miles in front of him; at the same altitude; same route; was; and was it OK. (My words; I don't really remember the conversation). I need 10 minutes at the same altitude. So five miles; at eight miles a minute is; approximately 35 seconds. They were close.To begin with; when the Controller took the estimate from the adjacent ABCD Center on Aircraft X; for what ever reason; he did not enter it in the system. But he did approve the altitude. So Aircraft X did not exist as far as ATOPS was concerned. Aircraft Y progressed on flight plan. About fifteen minutes later I received the progress. I entered it in the machine. Suddenly I had nine minutes; thirty seconds in front of other traffic. I need ten minutes. But I had time to fix it. Later; I probed FL340 for the Aircraft Y; and it showed good. I had to wait until the aircraft progressed another fix before I could climb the aircraft. So I asked the Aircraft Y if he was able FL340; he said yes. When Aircraft Y was south of the fix; I climbed him to FL340. I checked the ATOPS and ATOPS said no conflicts. I climbed Aircraft Y to FL340. I don't have the time frame but about ten minutes later a data block was in my airspace flashing; CDN (coordination). I thought OK I need to call the ABCD Center and find out whats going on with this aircraft. Suddenly ABCD Center called with some estimates. I took about four estimates then it was my turn. The next set of events happened quickly. I asked about Aircraft X; ABCD Center said he was coordinated. I said I wasn't showing coordination. So I took the estimate on Aircraft X. When ABCD Center said FL340; I knew I had a major problem. Commercial Radio called and I knew. But I couldn't process the coordination with ABCD because Aircraft X was too far past the boundary. I was able to process it another way; emergency altitude Aircraft X at FL340; picked up Commercial Radio and the operator said something like this; Aircraft Y asked who the airplane five miles in front of him; at the same altitude; same route; was. And was it OK. I literally stumbled through a clearance. I couldn't climb Aircraft Y to FL350 because traffic was very close; FL320 also had traffic; I don't remember how close. I knew FL330 was OK; but I only had eight minutes with the other traffic now; but I felt it was my safest move. I descended the Aircraft Y to FL330 then slowed the other traffic to MD80. I was so shaken; I was barely able to get the clearance out. Backing up; right after I issued the decent clearance to Aircraft Y to FL330; I called for a supervisor; stating I had a near mid-air. I really don't know what I had but a major loss of separation. I was so shaken I asked to get up immediately. I was no longer able to function as a Controller. Basically it was a what you see is what you got; I explained quickly what I did. I told her she had to take care of the situation between Aircraft Y and other traffic; who were eight minutes apart. I think she could see my state of mind; she jumped in and with in ten minutes had the sector per the 7110.65. Like we are trained; read the blue. Which means when you approve an aircraft into your area non-radar; the information in the coordination window turns blue. That is the info you read back. I don't think this was done.

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.