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

Attributes
ACN	273105
Time
Date	199405
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gls
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 5 controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	273105
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	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 99999 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X departed iah en route to mmun. Was step-climbed in reference to several non-radar aircraft en route and opposite direction. His first assigned altitude was FL270, then FL280, then FL290. Air carrier Y departed mmun en route to iah at FL280. X was lost in radar while at FL280, then shortly thereafter climbed to FL290. When X reported at FL290, he was 13 mins away from the estimated passing point of Y. Aircraft Y's flight progress strips were not sequenced in the control bays. Air carrier X radar was lost and climbed to FL290. The radar controller did not know he had traffic opposite direction to X at FL280. I checked on FL280 several mins after Y appeared at FL290. The main reason this error occurred was the quick increase in traffic experienced at the oceanic sector. We went from 4-5 aircraft to 15 or more aircraft in about 20 mins.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: ACR X DEPARTED IAH ENRTE TO MMUN. WAS STEP-CLBED IN REF TO SEVERAL NON-RADAR ACFT ENRTE AND OPPOSITE DIRECTION. HIS FIRST ASSIGNED ALT WAS FL270, THEN FL280, THEN FL290. ACR Y DEPARTED MMUN ENRTE TO IAH AT FL280. X WAS LOST IN RADAR WHILE AT FL280, THEN SHORTLY THEREAFTER CLBED TO FL290. WHEN X RPTED AT FL290, HE WAS 13 MINS AWAY FROM THE ESTIMATED PASSING POINT OF Y. ACFT Y'S FLT PROGRESS STRIPS WERE NOT SEQUENCED IN THE CTL BAYS. ACR X RADAR WAS LOST AND CLBED TO FL290. THE RADAR CTLR DID NOT KNOW HE HAD TFC OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO X AT FL280. I CHKED ON FL280 SEVERAL MINS AFTER Y APPEARED AT FL290. THE MAIN REASON THIS ERROR OCCURRED WAS THE QUICK INCREASE IN TFC EXPERIENCED AT THE OCEANIC SECTOR. WE WENT FROM 4-5 ACFT TO 15 OR MORE ACFT IN ABOUT 20 MINS.

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.