ARTCC controller misread data block information and climbed large transport through altitude of mlt....

Attributes
ACN	102021
Time
Date	198901
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cll
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 38700 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	102021
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 33
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Miss Distance	horizontal : 21000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft was given a climb clearance through the altitude of another aircraft. Mental error was the reason for loss of sep. I do not know how to correct the problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: determined the experience level of the reporter and the supervisor. Aircraft types were an large transport and an mlt with the large transport climbing through altitude of mlt. Traffic vol was light, reporter misread the data block and mistakenly cleared the large transport to climb to FL410 through altitude of opp direction mlt traffic. When C/a activated the reporter turned both aircraft and tried to stop the climb of the large transport 1000' below the mlt, but the large transport continued the climb to within 300' of mlt altitude. Latitude sep was 3.5 NM and this appears to have been a moderate (at the most) incident. Reporter stated he is being threatened with 14 days suspension, but feels that it is more a personality problem than the system error. Supervisor also has been advised to retire, again due to interpersonal relationship problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC CTLR MISREAD DATA BLOCK INFORMATION AND CLIMBED LGT THROUGH ALT OF MLT. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: ACFT WAS GIVEN A CLB CLRNC THROUGH THE ALT OF ANOTHER ACFT. MENTAL ERROR WAS THE REASON FOR LOSS OF SEP. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO CORRECT THE PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: DETERMINED THE EXPERIENCE LEVEL OF THE RPTR AND THE SUPVR. ACFT TYPES WERE AN LGT AND AN MLT WITH THE LGT CLBING THROUGH ALT OF MLT. TFC VOL WAS LIGHT, RPTR MISREAD THE DATA BLOCK AND MISTAKENLY CLRED THE LGT TO CLB TO FL410 THROUGH ALT OF OPP DIRECTION MLT TFC. WHEN C/A ACTIVATED THE RPTR TURNED BOTH ACFT AND TRIED TO STOP THE CLB OF THE LGT 1000' BELOW THE MLT, BUT THE LGT CONTINUED THE CLB TO WITHIN 300' OF MLT ALT. LAT SEP WAS 3.5 NM AND THIS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A MODERATE (AT THE MOST) INCIDENT. RPTR STATED HE IS BEING THREATENED WITH 14 DAYS SUSPENSION, BUT FEELS THAT IT IS MORE A PERSONALITY PROB THAN THE SYS ERROR. SUPVR ALSO HAS BEEN ADVISED TO RETIRE, AGAIN DUE TO INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP PROBS.

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.

ARTCC controller misread data block information and climbed large transport through altitude of mlt. Operational error.