Narrative:

I arrived on a midnight shift and relieved the evening shift controllers. I was working ZMP sectors 27, 28, and 36 at one scope. Lnk approach had a scheduled outage, and I assumed the airspace. I was in communication with small transport Y dma-HSI at 6000'. He was currently north of lnk. Lnk ATCT called for departure release on medium large transport X. Lnk-fsd, reqesting FL230. I released medium large transport X, runway 32 departure, fly runway heading, climb to 4000'. Medium large transport X departed and was radar indented. Noticing that an on course heading would restrict medium large transport X to an altitude of 5000', I turned medium large transport X left to a heading of 270 degree, and issued climb to FL230. In my visibility judgement, I had 5 mi sep laterally. Conflict alert activated, and I pulled up the 5 mi polygram feature on small transport Y. Medium large transport X target was inside the polygram. I issued a left turn to 250 degree to medium large transport X, a 30 degree right turn to small transport Y. I allowed medium large transport X to climb, in my judgement the possibility that medium large transport X was already through 6000' (due to the delay in mode C updates) existed, and I did not want to descend medium large transport X bak through the en route traffic. Medium large transport X reported leaving 7000' and both aircraft were cleared on course.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR CLIMBED ACR MLG THROUGH ALT OF ACR SMT WITH LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARTION.

Narrative: I ARRIVED ON A MIDNIGHT SHIFT AND RELIEVED THE EVENING SHIFT CTLRS. I WAS WORKING ZMP SECTORS 27, 28, AND 36 AT ONE SCOPE. LNK APCH HAD A SCHEDULED OUTAGE, AND I ASSUMED THE AIRSPACE. I WAS IN COM WITH SMT Y DMA-HSI AT 6000'. HE WAS CURRENTLY N OF LNK. LNK ATCT CALLED FOR DEP RELEASE ON MLG X. LNK-FSD, REQESTING FL230. I RELEASED MLG X, RWY 32 DEP, FLY RWY HDG, CLB TO 4000'. MLG X DEPARTED AND WAS RADAR INDENTED. NOTICING THAT AN ON COURSE HDG WOULD RESTRICT MLG X TO AN ALT OF 5000', I TURNED MLG X L TO A HDG OF 270 DEG, AND ISSUED CLB TO FL230. IN MY VIS JUDGEMENT, I HAD 5 MI SEP LATERALLY. CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED, AND I PULLED UP THE 5 MI POLYGRAM FEATURE ON SMT Y. MLG X TARGET WAS INSIDE THE POLYGRAM. I ISSUED A L TURN TO 250 DEG TO MLG X, A 30 DEG R TURN TO SMT Y. I ALLOWED MLG X TO CLB, IN MY JUDGEMENT THE POSSIBILITY THAT MLG X WAS ALREADY THROUGH 6000' (DUE TO THE DELAY IN MODE C UPDATES) EXISTED, AND I DID NOT WANT TO DSND MLG X BAK THROUGH THE ENRTE TFC. MLG X RPTED LEAVING 7000' AND BOTH ACFT WERE CLRED ON COURSE.

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.