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

Attributes
ACN	163125
Time
Date	199011
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mol
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
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	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 4
ASRS Report	163125
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

At the end of the evening work shift, just after radar sectors were combined, traffic was moderate with 4 or 5 climbs/turns/sep actions to be taken. The sector was not yet settled from the combination. Automated xfer of control on 1 aircraft failed due to improper combining of sectors at the data systems specification (dss) position. During the confusion of keeping air carrier X from entering another factor west/O a handoff and due to air carrier Y being off route due to a NAVAID being off the air due to maintenance, I misjudged the crossing point of air carrier X level at FL330 and air carrier Y climbing to FL350. In addition, for reasons unknown at the time this was written, the C/a program failed to initiate and give advance warning of an imminent situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: AT THE END OF THE EVENING WORK SHIFT, JUST AFTER RADAR SECTORS WERE COMBINED, TFC WAS MODERATE WITH 4 OR 5 CLBS/TURNS/SEP ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN. THE SECTOR WAS NOT YET SETTLED FROM THE COMBINATION. AUTOMATED XFER OF CTL ON 1 ACFT FAILED DUE TO IMPROPER COMBINING OF SECTORS AT THE DATA SYSTEMS SPEC (DSS) POS. DURING THE CONFUSION OF KEEPING ACR X FROM ENTERING ANOTHER FACTOR W/O A HDOF AND DUE TO ACR Y BEING OFF RTE DUE TO A NAVAID BEING OFF THE AIR DUE TO MAINT, I MISJUDGED THE XING POINT OF ACR X LEVEL AT FL330 AND ACR Y CLBING TO FL350. IN ADDITION, FOR REASONS UNKNOWN AT THE TIME THIS WAS WRITTEN, THE C/A PROGRAM FAILED TO INITIATE AND GIVE ADVANCE WARNING OF AN IMMINENT SITUATION.

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.