Flight assigned FL190 in error. Less than standard separation occurred.

Attributes
ACN	109903
Time
Date	198904
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sbj
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19500 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	109903
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 10000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Ewr dca shuttle being vectored for traffic. Nyc requested descent from FL220 to FL210, then to FL190. Request was read back and altitude departing. Prior to reaching FL190, immediate request by nyc to climb to FL200 due to traffic at 6 O'clock, 2 mi, at FL190. Subsequent possible altitude incursion filed. After playback of tapes at ny ARTCC, controller had issued FL190 erroneously in lieu of FL200.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ASSIGNED FL190 IN ERROR. LTSS OCCURRED.

Narrative: EWR DCA SHUTTLE BEING VECTORED FOR TFC. NYC REQUESTED DSCNT FROM FL220 TO FL210, THEN TO FL190. REQUEST WAS READ BACK AND ALT DEPARTING. PRIOR TO REACHING FL190, IMMEDIATE REQUEST BY NYC TO CLB TO FL200 DUE TO TFC AT 6 O'CLOCK, 2 MI, AT FL190. SUBSEQUENT POSSIBLE ALT INCURSION FILED. AFTER PLAYBACK OF TAPES AT NY ARTCC, CTLR HAD ISSUED FL190 ERRONEOUSLY IN LIEU OF FL200.

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.