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

Attributes
ACN	154701
Time
Date	199008
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oed
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
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	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	154701
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 7
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	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 13200 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was radar controller at ZSE R-36, being relieved, I had delivered a complete briefing including all traffic twice due to complexity of the situation. Air carrier X from mft was assigned 8000' due to southbound traffic at 9000' just as I finished the briefing air carrier X traffic checked in. I did not hear the call clearly and asked the relieving controller if he had. His response was to key his microphone and begin to issue a clearance to air carrier X to fly heading 345 vector to pdx climb and maintain a higher altitude. The pilot began his readback immediately as I was telling the receiving controller again to stop air carrier X at 8000' as previously assigned. Essentially the problem was that the relieving controller assumed control of the position west/O a clear understanding of all situations. His macho attitude, or overly nonchalant attitude prevented him from gathering the facts before acting, even though both data blocks were present, the d-side was completely aware of the situation and the traffic had been noted in the briefing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: I WAS RADAR CTLR AT ZSE R-36, BEING RELIEVED, I HAD DELIVERED A COMPLETE BRIEFING INCLUDING ALL TFC TWICE DUE TO COMPLEXITY OF THE SITUATION. ACR X FROM MFT WAS ASSIGNED 8000' DUE TO SBND TFC AT 9000' JUST AS I FINISHED THE BRIEFING ACR X TFC CHKED IN. I DID NOT HEAR THE CALL CLRLY AND ASKED THE RELIEVING CTLR IF HE HAD. HIS RESPONSE WAS TO KEY HIS MIKE AND BEGIN TO ISSUE A CLRNC TO ACR X TO FLY HDG 345 VECTOR TO PDX CLB AND MAINTAIN A HIGHER ALT. THE PLT BEGAN HIS READBACK IMMEDIATELY AS I WAS TELLING THE RECEIVING CTLR AGAIN TO STOP ACR X AT 8000' AS PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED. ESSENTIALLY THE PROB WAS THAT THE RELIEVING CTLR ASSUMED CTL OF THE POS W/O A CLR UNDERSTANDING OF ALL SITUATIONS. HIS MACHO ATTITUDE, OR OVERLY NONCHALANT ATTITUDE PREVENTED HIM FROM GATHERING THE FACTS BEFORE ACTING, EVEN THOUGH BOTH DATA BLOCKS WERE PRESENT, THE D-SIDE WAS COMPLETELY AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND THE TFC HAD BEEN NOTED IN THE BRIEFING.

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.