Less than standard separation between 2 military jets. Operational error.

Attributes
ACN	105538
Time
Date	198903
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : roc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob military facility : iag
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	105538
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : military
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

Military controller had handed off aircraft X at 17000'. This aircraft was in vicinity of roc wbound to iag. Military controller (weapons director) handed off aircraft Y who was at aircraft X's 2 O'clock position 10-15 mi FL180,, heading in a southerly direction which was an entirely safe situation. I accepted the handoff on aircraft Y with the specification that the aircraft remain at FL180. Military controller acknowledged this. As the 2 aircraft's targets merged, I noticed that Y aircraft was 17500'. As targets passed each other Y was still descending. Y came on my frequency level at 17000'. I did report this to supervisor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 MIL JETS. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: MIL CTLR HAD HANDED OFF ACFT X AT 17000'. THIS ACFT WAS IN VICINITY OF ROC WBOUND TO IAG. MIL CTLR (WEAPONS DIRECTOR) HANDED OFF ACFT Y WHO WAS AT ACFT X'S 2 O'CLOCK POS 10-15 MI FL180,, HDG IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION WHICH WAS AN ENTIRELY SAFE SITUATION. I ACCEPTED THE HDOF ON ACFT Y WITH THE SPECIFICATION THAT THE ACFT REMAIN AT FL180. MIL CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED THIS. AS THE 2 ACFT'S TARGETS MERGED, I NOTICED THAT Y ACFT WAS 17500'. AS TARGETS PASSED EACH OTHER Y WAS STILL DSNDING. Y CAME ON MY FREQ LEVEL AT 17000'. I DID RPT THIS TO SUPVR.

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.