Narrative:

I was working cpr X inbound to scottsdale, az, from FL330 to FL240. In conflict was air carrier Y from phoenix, az, to las vegas, nv, requesting FL280. I thought cpr X was issued the ferer 2 arrival after drake but was actually cleared direct scottsdale after drake. I cleared air carrier Y direct peach springs, az, to get route separation and discontinued vertical separation after I observed air carrier X make the turn. When cpr X turned direct scottsdale, I tried to get separation by turning both aircraft and tried to reestablish vertical separation but the aircraft were already too close. I discovered the problem. The computer did not recognize a problem until after I was already taking action to try to fix the problem. The biggest contributing factor in the situation is a lack of air traffic controllers. Even though I felt I had control of the sector (until the cpr X made a turn I wasn't expecting) I was too busy to read the flight progress strips. (After the event we were not able to find a flight progress strip on air carrier Y which I was supposed to be using.) another controller on the sector (whether fpl or developmental checked out on non radar) would have been reading the flight progress strips and told me I needed to issue the ferer 2 arrival. My error (the only human error) was in not issuing the ferer 2 arrival. If the cpr X had flown the ferer 2 arrival there would not have been a problem. Also, after I idented the problem I tried to get vertical separation by putting the cpr X on the (270) and air carrier Y on the bottom (260) and it probably would have been better to put the cpr X on the bottom. I still probably would have lost separation but would have been closer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR X HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING CPR X INBOUND TO SCOTTSDALE, AZ, FROM FL330 TO FL240. IN CONFLICT WAS ACR Y FROM PHOENIX, AZ, TO LAS VEGAS, NV, REQUESTING FL280. I THOUGHT CPR X WAS ISSUED THE FERER 2 ARR AFTER DRAKE BUT WAS ACTUALLY CLRED DIRECT SCOTTSDALE AFTER DRAKE. I CLRED ACR Y DIRECT PEACH SPRINGS, AZ, TO GET RTE SEPARATION AND DISCONTINUED VERT SEPARATION AFTER I OBSERVED ACR X MAKE THE TURN. WHEN CPR X TURNED DIRECT SCOTTSDALE, I TRIED TO GET SEPARATION BY TURNING BOTH ACFT AND TRIED TO REESTABLISH VERT SEPARATION BUT THE ACFT WERE ALREADY TOO CLOSE. I DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM. THE COMPUTER DID NOT RECOGNIZE A PROBLEM UNTIL AFTER I WAS ALREADY TAKING ACTION TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE SITUATION IS A LACK OF AIR TFC CTLRS. EVEN THOUGH I FELT I HAD CTL OF THE SECTOR (UNTIL THE CPR X MADE A TURN I WASN'T EXPECTING) I WAS TOO BUSY TO READ THE FLT PROGRESS STRIPS. (AFTER THE EVENT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND A FLT PROGRESS STRIP ON ACR Y WHICH I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE USING.) ANOTHER CTLR ON THE SECTOR (WHETHER FPL OR DEVELOPMENTAL CHKED OUT ON NON RADAR) WOULD HAVE BEEN READING THE FLT PROGRESS STRIPS AND TOLD ME I NEEDED TO ISSUE THE FERER 2 ARR. MY ERROR (THE ONLY HUMAN ERROR) WAS IN NOT ISSUING THE FERER 2 ARR. IF THE CPR X HAD FLOWN THE FERER 2 ARR THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM. ALSO, AFTER I IDENTED THE PROBLEM I TRIED TO GET VERT SEPARATION BY PUTTING THE CPR X ON THE (270) AND ACR Y ON THE BOTTOM (260) AND IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO PUT THE CPR X ON THE BOTTOM. I STILL PROBABLY WOULD HAVE LOST SEPARATION BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSER.

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.