Air carrier was issued a climb through occupied altitude resulting in less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	200216
Time
Date	199201
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sby
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 25
ASRS Report	200216
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
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	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

At approximately xx:50 I heard R-50 controller turn air carrier X left for traffic. Air carrier X was climbing to FL390 head on with air carrier Y. I told R-50 he turned aircraft wrong direction, he then turned air carrier Y left and turned air carrier X further left and make a tight turn. By then separation was lost with air carrier X still climbing to FL390. I was working D-50 at the time and the sector was moderately busy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WAS ISSUED A CLB THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT RESULTING IN LTSS.

Narrative: AT APPROX XX:50 I HEARD R-50 CTLR TURN ACR X L FOR TFC. ACR X WAS CLBING TO FL390 HEAD ON WITH ACR Y. I TOLD R-50 HE TURNED ACFT WRONG DIRECTION, HE THEN TURNED ACR Y L AND TURNED ACR X FURTHER L AND MAKE A TIGHT TURN. BY THEN SEPARATION WAS LOST WITH ACR X STILL CLBING TO FL390. I WAS WORKING D-50 AT THE TIME AND THE SECTOR WAS MODERATELY BUSY.

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.