Less than standard separation between 2 air carrier aircraft. Operational error.

Attributes
ACN	132098
Time
Date	198912
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dpk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16500 msl bound upper : 16500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star enroute airway : zbw
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	132098
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
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X was flying the dpk 2 arrival to bdl, and cleared from 18000 to 15000'. Air carrier Y was 12-15 mi to his left rear and cleared direct mad. I judged that air carrier Y in his climb to 21000' would be above X before radar sep was lost. I issued 1 or 2 clrncs to other aircraft, and when I returned to these 2, the C/a activated. Issued a turn to heading 045 degrees to Y, and heading 125 degrees to air carrier X, but radar sep was lost anyway. I am a journeyman controller at the bos ARTCC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 ACR ACFT. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X WAS FLYING THE DPK 2 ARR TO BDL, AND CLRED FROM 18000 TO 15000'. ACR Y WAS 12-15 MI TO HIS LEFT REAR AND CLRED DIRECT MAD. I JUDGED THAT ACR Y IN HIS CLB TO 21000' WOULD BE ABOVE X BEFORE RADAR SEP WAS LOST. I ISSUED 1 OR 2 CLRNCS TO OTHER ACFT, AND WHEN I RETURNED TO THESE 2, THE C/A ACTIVATED. ISSUED A TURN TO HDG 045 DEGS TO Y, AND HDG 125 DEGS TO ACR X, BUT RADAR SEP WAS LOST ANYWAY. I AM A JOURNEYMAN CTLR AT THE BOS ARTCC.

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.