Less than standard separation occurred when wrong aircraft took a climb clearance.

Attributes
ACN	161351
Time
Date	199010
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rod
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21300 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid tower : san
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
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
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	161351
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Error

Narrative:

Large transport X southbound at FL220. Medium large transport Y climbing to FL210. Medium large transport Z was climbing to 10000'. I cleared medium large transport Z to FL220, then was distracted by pending coordination. Medium large transport Y read back, 'climbing to FL220.' I then observed medium large transport Y leaving FL212. I told medium large transport Y to maintain FL210 and to expedite to FL210. I then told large transport X to climb to FL230 and expedite the climb. Sep was lost.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION OCCURRED WHEN WRONG ACFT TOOK A CLIMB CLRNC.

Narrative: LGT X SBND AT FL220. MLG Y CLBING TO FL210. MLG Z WAS CLBING TO 10000'. I CLRED MLG Z TO FL220, THEN WAS DISTRACTED BY PENDING COORD. MLG Y READ BACK, 'CLBING TO FL220.' I THEN OBSERVED MLG Y LEAVING FL212. I TOLD MLG Y TO MAINTAIN FL210 AND TO EXPEDITE TO FL210. I THEN TOLD LGT X TO CLB TO FL230 AND EXPEDITE THE CLB. SEP WAS LOST.

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.