Air carrier X had less than standard separation from aircraft Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	142197
Time
Date	199004
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7600 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu tracon : iah tower : fnt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent other
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	142197
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1200 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X climbing out of iah we were cleared to 15000' and I believe switched from iah approach to iah center. Climbing through 7700' the controller cleared us to maintain 7000' and issued us aircraft Y at 8000'. We immediately descended to 7000' and saw traffic at 8000'. Not sure if loss of separation occurred horizontally (at 7000' if had minimum horizontal separation). We were at 7000' before other aircraft passed overhead at 8000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: ACR X CLIMBING OUT OF IAH WE WERE CLRED TO 15000' AND I BELIEVE SWITCHED FROM IAH APCH TO IAH CENTER. CLIMBING THROUGH 7700' THE CTLR CLRED US TO MAINTAIN 7000' AND ISSUED US ACFT Y AT 8000'. WE IMMEDIATELY DESCENDED TO 7000' AND SAW TFC AT 8000'. NOT SURE IF LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED HORIZONTALLY (AT 7000' IF HAD MINIMUM HORIZONTAL SEPARATION). WE WERE AT 7000' BEFORE OTHER ACFT PASSED OVERHEAD AT 8000'.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.