Air carrier X had less than standard separation from air carrier Y.

Attributes
ACN	123651
Time
Date	198909
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : crl
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	123651
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24600 vertical : 1600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X, ord to yyz, climbing to FL330, from lfd-svm-yxu. Air carrier X was issued 090 degree heading for climb due to nwbnd traffic on J34 from crl to bae. After watching air carrier X climb rate, direct yxu was issued. Air carrier Y, large transport at FL310 over crl, nwbnd. I assumed air carrier X would be level at FL330 prior to potential conflict. At this time, air carrier climbing off mke was handed off to me at FL330. By letter of agreement, air carrier should have been at FL290. Air carrier was in potential conflict with another air carrier, nwbnd J34, climbing from FL310 to FL350. Immediate turns given to both aircraft to resolve conflict. Aircraft were 15 mi apart, head-on. At this time, air carrier X and air carrier Y were in conflict with conflict alert activated. A right turn to 150 degree heading was issued, but less than standard separation was established at 4.1 NM and 1600'. Air carrier X was at FL326 and air carrier Y was at FL310. Was working 15-17 airplanes, complex traffic situations. Need to leave air carrier X at initial heading of 090 degree until level at FL330.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION FROM ACR Y.

Narrative: ACR X, ORD TO YYZ, CLIMBING TO FL330, FROM LFD-SVM-YXU. ACR X WAS ISSUED 090 DEG HDG FOR CLIMB DUE TO NWBND TFC ON J34 FROM CRL TO BAE. AFTER WATCHING ACR X CLIMB RATE, DIRECT YXU WAS ISSUED. ACR Y, LGT AT FL310 OVER CRL, NWBND. I ASSUMED ACR X WOULD BE LEVEL AT FL330 PRIOR TO POTENTIAL CONFLICT. AT THIS TIME, ACR CLIMBING OFF MKE WAS HANDED OFF TO ME AT FL330. BY LETTER OF AGREEMENT, ACR SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT FL290. ACR WAS IN POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACR, NWBND J34, CLIMBING FROM FL310 TO FL350. IMMEDIATE TURNS GIVEN TO BOTH ACFT TO RESOLVE CONFLICT. ACFT WERE 15 MI APART, HEAD-ON. AT THIS TIME, ACR X AND ACR Y WERE IN CONFLICT WITH CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED. A RIGHT TURN TO 150 DEG HDG WAS ISSUED, BUT LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION WAS ESTABLISHED AT 4.1 NM AND 1600'. ACR X WAS AT FL326 AND ACR Y WAS AT FL310. WAS WORKING 15-17 AIRPLANES, COMPLEX TFC SITUATIONS. NEED TO LEAVE ACR X AT INITIAL HDG OF 090 DEG UNTIL LEVEL AT FL330.

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.