Aircraft X same altitude assigned as aircraft Y. Less than standard separation. System error.

Attributes
ACN	234345
Time
Date	199302
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stt
State Reference	VI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sju tower : sju
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 11
ASRS Report	234345
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 7620 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working the radar side, the data side requested assistance by way of an a-side. Shortly after, I told the supervisor to stop de;south. He came back and advised me he had not stopped departures but a drone launch that had been scheduled to go off at xapm local. It was then I noticed aircraft X and Y on a merging course and issued turns. A collision was prevented but there was a loss of separation. I feel the cause of this was the supervisor's decision not to stop departures. Other contributing factors are the confign of the sector, no flow restrictions, these are scheduled departures that go out every day at the same time. Several lines were out and poor frequencys.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT X SAME ALT ASSIGNED AS ACFT Y. LTSS. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE RADAR SIDE, THE DATA SIDE REQUESTED ASSISTANCE BY WAY OF AN A-SIDE. SHORTLY AFTER, I TOLD THE SUPVR TO STOP DE;S. HE CAME BACK AND ADVISED ME HE HAD NOT STOPPED DEPS BUT A DRONE LAUNCH THAT HAD BEEN SCHEDULED TO GO OFF AT XAPM LCL. IT WAS THEN I NOTICED ACFT X AND Y ON A MERGING COURSE AND ISSUED TURNS. A COLLISION WAS PREVENTED BUT THERE WAS A LOSS OF SEPARATION. I FEEL THE CAUSE OF THIS WAS THE SUPVR'S DECISION NOT TO STOP DEPS. OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE THE CONFIGN OF THE SECTOR, NO FLOW RESTRICTIONS, THESE ARE SCHEDULED DEPS THAT GO OUT EVERY DAY AT THE SAME TIME. SEVERAL LINES WERE OUT AND POOR FREQS.

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.