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

Attributes
ACN	209119
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : alb
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny artcc : zbw artcc : czeg
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
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	209119
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	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working high altitude sector close to 2 hours on position with busy traffic. Air carrier X leaving FL300 for FL310 request FL350. This aircraft was handed off to ZNY and I issued FL350 since the only traffic was an air carrier Y at FL330 paralleling his course by 8 mi. I coordination the new altitude with ny and told air carrier X to contact ZNY. Since the handoff was made to another center, I was unable to amend the altitude in the data block. During subsequent scans. I saw the aircraft converging but air carrier Y data block showed FL330 and air carrier X showed FL310. Air carrier Y was vectored direct alb which meant the 2 flight paths would cross, not parallel. The first indication of a problem was air carrier X data block showed plus 300 ft. This is when I realized what I had done. They missed by 3 mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: I WAS WORKING HIGH ALT SECTOR CLOSE TO 2 HRS ON POS WITH BUSY TFC. ACR X LEAVING FL300 FOR FL310 REQUEST FL350. THIS ACFT WAS HANDED OFF TO ZNY AND I ISSUED FL350 SINCE THE ONLY TFC WAS AN ACR Y AT FL330 PARALLELING HIS COURSE BY 8 MI. I COORD THE NEW ALT WITH NY AND TOLD ACR X TO CONTACT ZNY. SINCE THE HDOF WAS MADE TO ANOTHER CTR, I WAS UNABLE TO AMEND THE ALT IN THE DATA BLOCK. DURING SUBSEQUENT SCANS. I SAW THE ACFT CONVERGING BUT ACR Y DATA BLOCK SHOWED FL330 AND ACR X SHOWED FL310. ACR Y WAS VECTORED DIRECT ALB WHICH MEANT THE 2 FLT PATHS WOULD CROSS, NOT PARALLEL. THE FIRST INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WAS ACR X DATA BLOCK SHOWED PLUS 300 FT. THIS IS WHEN I REALIZED WHAT I HAD DONE. THEY MISSED BY 3 MI.

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.