Widebody transport was issued a climb through altitude of another aircraft resulting in less than st...

Attributes
ACN	106256
Time
Date	198903
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : amg
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 32500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 14 flight time total : 130
ASRS Report	106256
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure 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
Miss Distance	horizontal : 21000 vertical : 1500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier was inbound to mco via amg leese 5 arrival. Air carrier Y departed mco to msp via direct amg J45 atl, etc. I took the (automated) radar handoff on both aircraft about the same time with air carrier X climbing to FL310 and air carrier Y climbing to FL290. I immediately started a handoff to the moultrie ultra-high sector and switched air carrier Y to their frequency prior to him reaching my sector boundary. R50 climbed air carrier Y to FL330 and turned him direct mcn. Before air carrier Y reached FL330 (7+ mins later) the computer dropped the data block on air carrier Y. R50 asked me if it was still watching air carrier Y and then turned air carrier Y 30 degrees left. I immediately turned air carrier X 30 degrees left also. A few seconds later, C/a triggered and then 'snitch' printed almost immediately. C/a was much too late to be of any help. The aircraft (apparently) passed with 4.5 mi and air carrier Y was out of 32500' climbing and air carrier X was level at FL310. The data printouts were a mess and nobody could say for sure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB WAS ISSUED A CLIMB THROUGH ALT OF ANOTHER ACFT RESULTING IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: ACR WAS INBND TO MCO VIA AMG LEESE 5 ARR. ACR Y DEPARTED MCO TO MSP VIA DIRECT AMG J45 ATL, ETC. I TOOK THE (AUTOMATED) RADAR HDOF ON BOTH ACFT ABOUT THE SAME TIME WITH ACR X CLBING TO FL310 AND ACR Y CLBING TO FL290. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED A HDOF TO THE MOULTRIE ULTRA-HIGH SECTOR AND SWITCHED ACR Y TO THEIR FREQ PRIOR TO HIM REACHING MY SECTOR BOUNDARY. R50 CLBED ACR Y TO FL330 AND TURNED HIM DIRECT MCN. BEFORE ACR Y REACHED FL330 (7+ MINS LATER) THE COMPUTER DROPPED THE DATA BLOCK ON ACR Y. R50 ASKED ME IF IT WAS STILL WATCHING ACR Y AND THEN TURNED ACR Y 30 DEGS LEFT. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ACR X 30 DEGS LEFT ALSO. A FEW SECS LATER, C/A TRIGGERED AND THEN 'SNITCH' PRINTED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. C/A WAS MUCH TOO LATE TO BE OF ANY HELP. THE ACFT (APPARENTLY) PASSED WITH 4.5 MI AND ACR Y WAS OUT OF 32500' CLBING AND ACR X WAS LEVEL AT FL310. THE DATA PRINTOUTS WERE A MESS AND NOBODY COULD SAY FOR SURE.

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.

Widebody transport was issued a climb through altitude of another aircraft resulting in less than standard separation.