Cga overtook another IFR aircraft resulting in less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	120470
Time
Date	198908
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bdr
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : n90
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 12 controller non radar : 4 controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	120470
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working a position that deals mainly with overflts. An IFR small transport X at 5000' was on the bdr 249 degree right about 3 mi southwest of bdr. Approximately 9 mi in trail was an cga Y on the same route, same altitude. Not realizing the type or speed of this aircraft, I accepted the handoff. Meanwhile, cga Y checked in with me and I gave him the altimeter setting and went on the landlines for some coordination. I was on these lines for several mins making 3 manual handoffs, because of the automation being intermittent. It took approximately 2 1/2 mins for loss of sep to occur between small transport X and cga Y. When I came off the landlines, cga Y called me, inquiring about the small transport X off his right side and if he was IFR. I told him yes. I did not hear the C/a go off, although it did. I turned small transport X and cga Y right heading 120 degrees so they would parallel each other.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CGA OVERTOOK ANOTHER IFR ACFT RESULTING IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING A POS THAT DEALS MAINLY WITH OVERFLTS. AN IFR SMT X AT 5000' WAS ON THE BDR 249 DEG R ABOUT 3 MI SW OF BDR. APPROX 9 MI IN TRAIL WAS AN CGA Y ON THE SAME ROUTE, SAME ALT. NOT REALIZING THE TYPE OR SPD OF THIS ACFT, I ACCEPTED THE HDOF. MEANWHILE, CGA Y CHKED IN WITH ME AND I GAVE HIM THE ALTIMETER SETTING AND WENT ON THE LANDLINES FOR SOME COORD. I WAS ON THESE LINES FOR SEVERAL MINS MAKING 3 MANUAL HDOFS, BECAUSE OF THE AUTOMATION BEING INTERMITTENT. IT TOOK APPROX 2 1/2 MINS FOR LOSS OF SEP TO OCCUR BTWN SMT X AND CGA Y. WHEN I CAME OFF THE LANDLINES, CGA Y CALLED ME, INQUIRING ABOUT THE SMT X OFF HIS RIGHT SIDE AND IF HE WAS IFR. I TOLD HIM YES. I DID NOT HEAR THE C/A GO OFF, ALTHOUGH IT DID. I TURNED SMT X AND CGA Y RIGHT HDG 120 DEGS SO THEY WOULD PARALLEL EACH OTHER.

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.