Narrative:

The traffic situation was complex, with IFR traffic wanting to amend clrncs to VFR on top and the cancelling IFR. Air carrier X, an small transport, was departing sfo on a 350 degree heading. Air carrier Y, an medium large transport, was departing oak on a 290 degree heading. The ci-1 (coordinator) was extremely busy trying to amend clrncs, showing cancellations, etc, and forgot to stop the air carrier Y departure at 2000'. Off of oakland, when the ARTS acquired air carrier Y, he was already at 2500' climbing into the air carrier X that was at 3200 slowly climbing. I immediately told the air carrier Y jet to maintain his present altitude. I feel problem was caused by a complex workload by both the controller and the coordinator. When the coordinator was so busy releasing aircraft off of oak and coordinating other matters, he forgot to restrict the departures off of oak below the sfo departures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: THE TFC SITUATION WAS COMPLEX, WITH IFR TFC WANTING TO AMEND CLRNCS TO VFR ON TOP AND THE CANCELLING IFR. ACR X, AN SMT, WAS DEPARTING SFO ON A 350 DEG HDG. ACR Y, AN MLG, WAS DEPARTING OAK ON A 290 DEG HDG. THE CI-1 (COORDINATOR) WAS EXTREMELY BUSY TRYING TO AMEND CLRNCS, SHOWING CANCELLATIONS, ETC, AND FORGOT TO STOP THE ACR Y DEP AT 2000'. OFF OF OAKLAND, WHEN THE ARTS ACQUIRED ACR Y, HE WAS ALREADY AT 2500' CLIMBING INTO THE ACR X THAT WAS AT 3200 SLOWLY CLIMBING. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE ACR Y JET TO MAINTAIN HIS PRESENT ALT. I FEEL PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A COMPLEX WORKLOAD BY BOTH THE CTLR AND THE COORDINATOR. WHEN THE COORDINATOR WAS SO BUSY RELEASING ACFT OFF OF OAK AND COORDINATING OTHER MATTERS, HE FORGOT TO RESTRICT THE DEPS OFF OF OAK BELOW THE SFO DEPS.

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.