Less than standard separation between 2 air carrier. Operational error.

Attributes
ACN	105518
Time
Date	198903
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lit
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33500 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : j101
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	105518
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 21000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft #1 was northbound on J101 at FL330. The next controller requested aircraft #1 to be at FL290 due to crossing traffic. When aircraft #1 was assigned FL290, he requested climb to FL370 instead. 3 aircraft were southbound on J101 at FL350. Because sep at FL330 was pending, I was in a hurry to change aircraft #1's altitude. I determined that a 20 degree right turn would set up latitude sep on 2 of the southbound aircraft at FL350 and that the other aircraft at FL350 would very soon pass aircraft #1. I turned aircraft #1 and, in my haste, I forgot about the 1 aircraft very close to him, climbed aircraft #1 to FL370. The aircraft had already passed latitude when vertical sep of 2000' was lost, but the aircraft did not have 5 mi sep.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: ACFT #1 WAS NBOUND ON J101 AT FL330. THE NEXT CTLR REQUESTED ACFT #1 TO BE AT FL290 DUE TO XING TFC. WHEN ACFT #1 WAS ASSIGNED FL290, HE REQUESTED CLB TO FL370 INSTEAD. 3 ACFT WERE SBND ON J101 AT FL350. BECAUSE SEP AT FL330 WAS PENDING, I WAS IN A HURRY TO CHANGE ACFT #1'S ALT. I DETERMINED THAT A 20 DEG RIGHT TURN WOULD SET UP LAT SEP ON 2 OF THE SBND ACFT AT FL350 AND THAT THE OTHER ACFT AT FL350 WOULD VERY SOON PASS ACFT #1. I TURNED ACFT #1 AND, IN MY HASTE, I FORGOT ABOUT THE 1 ACFT VERY CLOSE TO HIM, CLBED ACFT #1 TO FL370. THE ACFT HAD ALREADY PASSED LAT WHEN VERT SEP OF 2000' WAS LOST, BUT THE ACFT DID NOT HAVE 5 MI SEP.

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.