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

Attributes
ACN	143013
Time
Date	199004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : toc
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22400 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	143013
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 21000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

2 aircraft involved. Air carrier X was landing in atl and was descending to FL240 swbnd on the macey 1 arrival over the foothills VOR (odf). Cpr Y was over the harris VOR (hours) descending to FL240 direct and landing athens, GA (ahn). The route of flight of these aircraft placed them in conflict,but cpr Y had to be below air carrier X to land at ahn. The controller that was talking to both aircraft descended the aircraft to FL230 and turned them head-on to one another. The C/a activated and the controller then expedited cpr Y to FL210. The aircraft passed with 3.5 mi latitude and 600' vertical. Me observation is that the controller involved was overworked, had insufficient help, had too many aircraft and the frequency was congested.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: 2 ACFT INVOLVED. ACR X WAS LNDG IN ATL AND WAS DSNDING TO FL240 SWBND ON THE MACEY 1 ARR OVER THE FOOTHILLS VOR (ODF). CPR Y WAS OVER THE HARRIS VOR (HRS) DSNDING TO FL240 DIRECT AND LNDG ATHENS, GA (AHN). THE RTE OF FLT OF THESE ACFT PLACED THEM IN CONFLICT,BUT CPR Y HAD TO BE BELOW ACR X TO LAND AT AHN. THE CTLR THAT WAS TALKING TO BOTH ACFT DSNDED THE ACFT TO FL230 AND TURNED THEM HEAD-ON TO ONE ANOTHER. THE C/A ACTIVATED AND THE CTLR THEN EXPEDITED CPR Y TO FL210. THE ACFT PASSED WITH 3.5 MI LAT AND 600' VERT. ME OBSERVATION IS THAT THE CTLR INVOLVED WAS OVERWORKED, HAD INSUFFICIENT HELP, HAD TOO MANY ACFT AND THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED.

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.