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

Attributes
ACN	163964
Time
Date	199011
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	163964
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	other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Heavy inbound arrival rush over robrt for iad. The 2 aircraft were being vectored swbnd for runway 19L and 19R respectively. Air carrier X, widebody transport, was descended in front of air carrier Y, medium large transport, also descending. Less than standard wake turbulence sep occurred as air carrier X passed in front of and above air carrier Y. The occurrence was reported by the supervisor monitoring me. The incident also occurred after a very tense discussion with the air traffic manager about my pending xfer to another facility as a supervisor. I should not have assumed the control position due to my emotional state. The operation was not haphazard, and perfectly safe in my opinion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: HVY INBND ARR RUSH OVER ROBRT FOR IAD. THE 2 ACFT WERE BEING VECTORED SWBND FOR RWY 19L AND 19R RESPECTIVELY. ACR X, WDB, WAS DSNDED IN FRONT OF ACR Y, MLG, ALSO DSNDING. LESS THAN STANDARD WAKE TURB SEP OCCURRED AS ACR X PASSED IN FRONT OF AND ABOVE ACR Y. THE OCCURRENCE WAS RPTED BY THE SUPVR MONITORING ME. THE INCIDENT ALSO OCCURRED AFTER A VERY TENSE DISCUSSION WITH THE AIR TFC MGR ABOUT MY PENDING XFER TO ANOTHER FAC AS A SUPVR. I SHOULD NOT HAVE ASSUMED THE CTL POS DUE TO MY EMOTIONAL STATE. THE OPERATION WAS NOT HAPHAZARD, AND PERFECTLY SAFE IN MY OPINION.

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.