Mlt was issued a descent by a trainee and conflicted with opposite direction traffic.

Attributes
ACN	117876
Time
Date	198907
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pdk airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	117876
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	117991
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Small aircraft X was being worked by sat F going direct spa at 5000 with a pointout to the sat right controller. Mlt Y was inbound from 40 northeast of atl at 8000 being worked by sat P controller. There was training in progress on sat P. The instructor was distracted by a landline call and the P controller descended mlt Y to 5000. I observed mlt Y when he was 3 mi head on to my traffic at 5000. I issued traffic to small aircraft X and turned the aircraft to a heading of 360 degree. I heard the P controller turn mlt Y to a heading of 180 degree twice, but didn't see the target turn, so I turned small aircraft X to a heading of 270 degree and started to descend small aircraft X. At this time I was told mlt Y had small aircraft X in sight so I left small aircraft X at 5000.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLT WAS ISSUED A DESCENT BY A TRAINEE AND CONFLICTED WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION TRAFFIC.

Narrative: SMA X WAS BEING WORKED BY SAT F GOING DIRECT SPA AT 5000 WITH A POINTOUT TO THE SAT R CTLR. MLT Y WAS INBND FROM 40 NE OF ATL AT 8000 BEING WORKED BY SAT P CTLR. THERE WAS TRAINING IN PROGRESS ON SAT P. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS DISTRACTED BY A LANDLINE CALL AND THE P CTLR DESCENDED MLT Y TO 5000. I OBSERVED MLT Y WHEN HE WAS 3 MI HEAD ON TO MY TFC AT 5000. I ISSUED TFC TO SMA X AND TURNED THE ACFT TO A HDG OF 360 DEG. I HEARD THE P CTLR TURN MLT Y TO A HDG OF 180 DEG TWICE, BUT DIDN'T SEE THE TARGET TURN, SO I TURNED SMA X TO A HDG OF 270 DEG AND STARTED TO DSND SMA X. AT THIS TIME I WAS TOLD MLT Y HAD SMA X IN SIGHT SO I LEFT SMA X AT 5000.

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.