Separation was lost when controller attempted to climb an air carrier above another air carrier.

Attributes
ACN	116993
Time
Date	198906
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tyi
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26500 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	116993
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

This was an overtime day. I was ordered in to work and I was burned out after working several days of severe thunderstorm WX an deviating traffic. Also the heat affected air carrier X's rate of climb and I did not perceive this. Air carrier X's cockpit radio discipline left a lot to be desired. I asked for an altitude report and he was questioning an assigned heading. Air carrier X was climbing fairly good and I attempted to climb over air carrier Y level at FL270. The conflict alert activated at which time I told air carrier X to maintain FL260. He stated he was possibly FL260, so I continued his climb to expedite thru FL280 and turned him to the west. Then I turned air carrier Y to a 300 degree heading. Air carrier X essentially stopped climbing and I turned him further to a 340 degree heading. At this time the pilot started questioning his heading despite repeated clrncs and requests for an altitude report. Finally he said he was at FL266 so I descended him to FL240. I established vertical separation and cleared both aircraft on course.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SEPARATION WAS LOST WHEN CTLR ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB AN ACR ABOVE ANOTHER ACR.

Narrative: THIS WAS AN OVERTIME DAY. I WAS ORDERED IN TO WORK AND I WAS BURNED OUT AFTER WORKING SEVERAL DAYS OF SEVERE TSTM WX AN DEVIATING TFC. ALSO THE HEAT AFFECTED ACR X'S RATE OF CLIMB AND I DID NOT PERCEIVE THIS. ACR X'S COCKPIT RADIO DISCIPLINE LEFT A LOT TO BE DESIRED. I ASKED FOR AN ALT REPORT AND HE WAS QUESTIONING AN ASSIGNED HDG. ACR X WAS CLIMBING FAIRLY GOOD AND I ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB OVER ACR Y LEVEL AT FL270. THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED AT WHICH TIME I TOLD ACR X TO MAINTAIN FL260. HE STATED HE WAS POSSIBLY FL260, SO I CONTINUED HIS CLIMB TO EXPEDITE THRU FL280 AND TURNED HIM TO THE WEST. THEN I TURNED ACR Y TO A 300 DEG HDG. ACR X ESSENTIALLY STOPPED CLIMBING AND I TURNED HIM FURTHER TO A 340 DEG HDG. AT THIS TIME THE PLT STARTED QUESTIONING HIS HDG DESPITE REPEATED CLRNCS AND REQUESTS FOR AN ALT REPORT. FINALLY HE SAID HE WAS AT FL266 SO I DESCENDED HIM TO FL240. I ESTABLISHED VERTICAL SEPARATION AND CLRED BOTH ACFT ON COURSE.

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.