Narrative:

Was very busy, working 1-M sector (we have 12-14 controllers to staff 6 scopes and 6 d-sides). I descended large transport X to FL260 landing rdu. Unknown to me large transport X had widebody transport Y traffic approximately 50 mi head on. I had an mlt primary target who distracted me. OJT was being performed at the sector where the mlt was coming from the trnee called me 3 or 4 times on the mlt, which distracted me. The scope also failed momentarily which added to the confusion. C/a went off and I still was so distracted that I did not realize I had a deal working. After stopping to check the C/a I realized the situation. I had time to give a turn of 30 degrees to each aircraft. Heroics (100 degree turns to each aircraft) would not have kept me from having a deal, but could have possibly resulted in hurting someone on either plane. I saw that this could be a controled system error and made sure the situation was not unsafe. A number of things the FAA could do would preclude and possibly prevent such errors: 1) the ecp was for rdu arrs to now come through this sector. This is a narrow high altitude sector, approximately 15-20 mi wide, phl clbers, ewr, lga, jfk, hpn, bdl, bpa, acy, wri, bos, bdr, yqa and many more airports are served both inbnds and departures through this sector. 2) the FAA still has inadequate staffing. No commercial aircraft flys with only a pilot. We constantly work 1-M sectors due to inadequate staffing. 3) had C/a warned me in a more timely manner, I could have averted a system error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC CTLR DESCENDED LGT THROUGH WDB ALT WITH LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: WAS VERY BUSY, WORKING 1-M SECTOR (WE HAVE 12-14 CTLRS TO STAFF 6 SCOPES AND 6 D-SIDES). I DSNDED LGT X TO FL260 LNDG RDU. UNKNOWN TO ME LGT X HAD WDB Y TFC APPROX 50 MI HEAD ON. I HAD AN MLT PRIMARY TARGET WHO DISTRACTED ME. OJT WAS BEING PERFORMED AT THE SECTOR WHERE THE MLT WAS COMING FROM THE TRNEE CALLED ME 3 OR 4 TIMES ON THE MLT, WHICH DISTRACTED ME. THE SCOPE ALSO FAILED MOMENTARILY WHICH ADDED TO THE CONFUSION. C/A WENT OFF AND I STILL WAS SO DISTRACTED THAT I DID NOT REALIZE I HAD A DEAL WORKING. AFTER STOPPING TO CHK THE C/A I REALIZED THE SIT. I HAD TIME TO GIVE A TURN OF 30 DEGS TO EACH ACFT. HEROICS (100 DEG TURNS TO EACH ACFT) WOULD NOT HAVE KEPT ME FROM HAVING A DEAL, BUT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY RESULTED IN HURTING SOMEONE ON EITHER PLANE. I SAW THAT THIS COULD BE A CTLED SYS ERROR AND MADE SURE THE SIT WAS NOT UNSAFE. A NUMBER OF THINGS THE FAA COULD DO WOULD PRECLUDE AND POSSIBLY PREVENT SUCH ERRORS: 1) THE ECP WAS FOR RDU ARRS TO NOW COME THROUGH THIS SECTOR. THIS IS A NARROW HIGH ALT SECTOR, APPROX 15-20 MI WIDE, PHL CLBERS, EWR, LGA, JFK, HPN, BDL, BPA, ACY, WRI, BOS, BDR, YQA AND MANY MORE ARPTS ARE SERVED BOTH INBNDS AND DEPS THROUGH THIS SECTOR. 2) THE FAA STILL HAS INADEQUATE STAFFING. NO COMMERCIAL ACFT FLYS WITH ONLY A PLT. WE CONSTANTLY WORK 1-M SECTORS DUE TO INADEQUATE STAFFING. 3) HAD C/A WARNED ME IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER, I COULD HAVE AVERTED A SYS ERROR.

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.