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

Attributes
ACN	149714
Time
Date	199006
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : btl
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob artcc : zau tower : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : non radar
Qualification	controller : radar controller : developmental
ASRS Report	149714
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 27000 vertical : 1700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Air carrier X at FL310 cleared to FL330. Air carrier Y was at FL290 at a time when air carrier X was 6 mi behind air carrier Y and faster. ZOB climbed air carrier Y to FL330. ZAU was attempting to point out air carrier X at FL310. ZOB did not answer line for 54 seconds. Pointout was accomplished at the boundary. ZOB then cleared air carrier Y back to FL290. Air carrier Y had climbed only 200' and started back down. Late pointout because of no answer on line. Aircraft in this spot are committed to their route and controller has relatively no options left. Need to improve communications here.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: ACR X AT FL310 CLRED TO FL330. ACR Y WAS AT FL290 AT A TIME WHEN ACR X WAS 6 MI BEHIND ACR Y AND FASTER. ZOB CLBED ACR Y TO FL330. ZAU WAS ATTEMPTING TO POINT OUT ACR X AT FL310. ZOB DID NOT ANSWER LINE FOR 54 SECS. POINTOUT WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT THE BOUNDARY. ZOB THEN CLRED ACR Y BACK TO FL290. ACR Y HAD CLBED ONLY 200' AND STARTED BACK DOWN. LATE POINTOUT BECAUSE OF NO ANSWER ON LINE. ACFT IN THIS SPOT ARE COMMITTED TO THEIR RTE AND CTLR HAS RELATIVELY NO OPTIONS LEFT. NEED TO IMPROVE COMS HERE.

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.