Narrative:

I was working a high altitude (FL240 and above) radar sector at ZOA. The sector is a very large one and handles san francisco bay area departures to destinations north. Military refueling and celestial navigation training rtes, sequencing to san francisco, and initial en route which is normal in light traffic situations. Traffic began to pick up and I was given an assistant during the time I was briefing the assistant (d-side) I failed to notice a potential conflict between air carrier X off the bay area that I had climbed to FL350 and an en route mlt at FL330. After a period of 5 mins conflict alert activated between air carrier X and the mlt. I issued immediate 40 degree left turns to both aircraft but failed to maintain standard separation. I had many things on my mind at the time. Two aircraft had advised me of min fuel situations which required additional coordination with adjacent sectors, I was concerned with solving a potential overtake between an large transport following an medium large transport, I was also concerned with 2 handoffs taken from adjacent sectors that were a potential conflict. However none of these situations were above and beyond what is routinely expected of any controller certified at this sector. I believe what really caused the problem was failure on my part to exercise additional caution during the transition from working the sector one-man to working the sector two-man. I needed to and will in the future exercise additional vigilance, making sure all conflictions are resolved during transitional periods.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X CLB THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT HAD LTSS FROM MLT. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING A HIGH ALT (FL240 AND ABOVE) RADAR SECTOR AT ZOA. THE SECTOR IS A VERY LARGE ONE AND HANDLES SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA DEPS TO DESTS N. MIL REFUELING AND CELESTIAL NAV TRAINING RTES, SEQUENCING TO SAN FRANCISCO, AND INITIAL ENRTE WHICH IS NORMAL IN LIGHT TFC SITUATIONS. TFC BEGAN TO PICK UP AND I WAS GIVEN AN ASSISTANT DURING THE TIME I WAS BRIEFING THE ASSISTANT (D-SIDE) I FAILED TO NOTICE A POTENTIAL CONFLICT BTWN ACR X OFF THE BAY AREA THAT I HAD CLBED TO FL350 AND AN ENRTE MLT AT FL330. AFTER A PERIOD OF 5 MINS CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED BTWN ACR X AND THE MLT. I ISSUED IMMEDIATE 40 DEG L TURNS TO BOTH ACFT BUT FAILED TO MAINTAIN STANDARD SEPARATION. I HAD MANY THINGS ON MY MIND AT THE TIME. TWO ACFT HAD ADVISED ME OF MIN FUEL SITUATIONS WHICH REQUIRED ADDITIONAL COORD WITH ADJACENT SECTORS, I WAS CONCERNED WITH SOLVING A POTENTIAL OVERTAKE BTWN AN LGT FOLLOWING AN MLG, I WAS ALSO CONCERNED WITH 2 HDOFS TAKEN FROM ADJACENT SECTORS THAT WERE A POTENTIAL CONFLICT. HOWEVER NONE OF THESE SITUATIONS WERE ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IS ROUTINELY EXPECTED OF ANY CTLR CERTIFIED AT THIS SECTOR. I BELIEVE WHAT REALLY CAUSED THE PROBLEM WAS FAILURE ON MY PART TO EXERCISE ADDITIONAL CAUTION DURING THE TRANSITION FROM WORKING THE SECTOR ONE-MAN TO WORKING THE SECTOR TWO-MAN. I NEEDED TO AND WILL IN THE FUTURE EXERCISE ADDITIONAL VIGILANCE, MAKING SURE ALL CONFLICTIONS ARE RESOLVED DURING TRANSITIONAL PERIODS.

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.