Narrative:

I was working the kenton sector (R53) at ZDC. This is a primary arrival/departure sector for phl/dca/bwi/adw/nsf/acy. I was holding arrival traffic at terri intersection on the DPNT3 arrival at 10000 ft 11000 ft, 12000 ft MSL. I had a sbound phl departure at 10000 ft sbound over ood to sby. I also was controling an 11000 ft MSL eastbound jfk arrival just south of the terri pattern on V44 to join V229 acy. The adjacent sector R51 (casino) was holding traffic at vcn for phl at 8000 ft, 11000 ft, and 12000 ft. The dqo (18) sector handed me off an acy arrival, X, rted dqo V29 eno sie acy at 11000 ft. The usual altitude is 13000 ft. (First step in a broken chain.) I was forced to vector the acy arrival around the 11000 ft traffic at terri and vcn holding patterns and keep X north of jfk 11000 ft traffic. The rsi controller and I (sectors situation side-by-side) were discussing the arrival as X is in R51 airspace. I vectored the acy aircraft X around and to follow 11000 ft traffic in both holding patterns. I told the R51 controller I was going direct acy with this arrival and he concurred when traffic was clear. I did not realize the R51 controller had turned communication of the vcn holders to phl approach. The R51 controller advised me that the 11000 ft traffic was clear and I could begin descent of the AC7 arrival X. I issued the turn and descent and then observed the 12000 ft traffic Y begin to descend! The controller at phl had begun descent of the only traffic which was a possible problem. The R51 controller and I used different techniques to hold traffic. Had I known the vcn 12000 ft traffic was on phl, I would have ensured they knew about my arrival. I assumed both I and R51 used the same technique of turning over only the lowest holding traffic in the patterns. He didn't. Supplemental information from acn 264486: as aircraft at 11000 ft over vcn began to descend, the R53 controller vectored his arrival in behind him. I called PHL2 to make a pointout, however PHL8 was starting the aircraft at 12000 ft down. They had to immediately climb their aircraft back to 12000 ft. The R53 controller was then able to descend his aircraft into acy. Separation was lost in the holding pattern.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X DSCNT TO OCCUPIED ALT IN HOLDING PATTERN HAD LTSS FROM Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE KENTON SECTOR (R53) AT ZDC. THIS IS A PRIMARY ARR/DEP SECTOR FOR PHL/DCA/BWI/ADW/NSF/ACY. I WAS HOLDING ARR TFC AT TERRI INTXN ON THE DPNT3 ARR AT 10000 FT 11000 FT, 12000 FT MSL. I HAD A SBOUND PHL DEP AT 10000 FT SBOUND OVER OOD TO SBY. I ALSO WAS CTLING AN 11000 FT MSL EBOUND JFK ARR JUST S OF THE TERRI PATTERN ON V44 TO JOIN V229 ACY. THE ADJACENT SECTOR R51 (CASINO) WAS HOLDING TFC AT VCN FOR PHL AT 8000 FT, 11000 FT, AND 12000 FT. THE DQO (18) SECTOR HANDED ME OFF AN ACY ARR, X, RTED DQO V29 ENO SIE ACY AT 11000 FT. THE USUAL ALT IS 13000 FT. (FIRST STEP IN A BROKEN CHAIN.) I WAS FORCED TO VECTOR THE ACY ARR AROUND THE 11000 FT TFC AT TERRI AND VCN HOLDING PATTERNS AND KEEP X N OF JFK 11000 FT TFC. THE RSI CTLR AND I (SECTORS SIT SIDE-BY-SIDE) WERE DISCUSSING THE ARR AS X IS IN R51 AIRSPACE. I VECTORED THE ACY ACFT X AROUND AND TO FOLLOW 11000 FT TFC IN BOTH HOLDING PATTERNS. I TOLD THE R51 CTLR I WAS GOING DIRECT ACY WITH THIS ARR AND HE CONCURRED WHEN TFC WAS CLR. I DID NOT REALIZE THE R51 CTLR HAD TURNED COM OF THE VCN HOLDERS TO PHL APCH. THE R51 CTLR ADVISED ME THAT THE 11000 FT TFC WAS CLR AND I COULD BEGIN DSCNT OF THE AC7 ARR X. I ISSUED THE TURN AND DSCNT AND THEN OBSERVED THE 12000 FT TFC Y BEGIN TO DSND! THE CTLR AT PHL HAD BEGUN DSCNT OF THE ONLY TFC WHICH WAS A POSSIBLE PROB. THE R51 CTLR AND I USED DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES TO HOLD TFC. HAD I KNOWN THE VCN 12000 FT TFC WAS ON PHL, I WOULD HAVE ENSURED THEY KNEW ABOUT MY ARR. I ASSUMED BOTH I AND R51 USED THE SAME TECHNIQUE OF TURNING OVER ONLY THE LOWEST HOLDING TFC IN THE PATTERNS. HE DIDN'T. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 264486: AS ACFT AT 11000 FT OVER VCN BEGAN TO DSND, THE R53 CTLR VECTORED HIS ARR IN BEHIND HIM. I CALLED PHL2 TO MAKE A POINTOUT, HOWEVER PHL8 WAS STARTING THE ACFT AT 12000 FT DOWN. THEY HAD TO IMMEDIATELY CLB THEIR ACFT BACK TO 12000 FT. THE R53 CTLR WAS THEN ABLE TO DSND HIS ACFT INTO ACY. SEPARATION WAS LOST IN THE HOLDING PATTERN.

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.