Air carrier X descent through occupied altitude had less than standard separation from air carrier Y...

Attributes
ACN	274892
Time
Date	199406
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zny
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 30000 msl bound upper : 30000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
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 radar : 12
ASRS Report	274892
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	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 28800 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

I was working alone at the sector just after the evening shift was released for the night when the sector suddenly became very busy. Volume was moderate to heavy with one very complex situation in the southwest corner of the sector and some moderately complex sits in other parts of the sector. I spent 30-40 seconds trying to speak with an adjacent sector to resolve the situation in the southwest corner. I had previously given a discretionary descent to one of the arrival aircraft X intending to monitor the situation and make changes as necessary. When I finished coordinating with the adjacent sector and resumed my scan I immediately realized I had a problem with the descending arrival X and an overflt aircraft Y. I turned both aircraft, but separation was lost (4.2 mi, 800 ft above FL290). I can honestly say that this error would not have occurred if an 'H' person had been available to assist with coordination. There was none.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X DSCNT THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y, SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING ALONE AT THE SECTOR JUST AFTER THE EVENING SHIFT WAS RELEASED FOR THE NIGHT WHEN THE SECTOR SUDDENLY BECAME VERY BUSY. VOLUME WAS MODERATE TO HVY WITH ONE VERY COMPLEX SIT IN THE SW CORNER OF THE SECTOR AND SOME MODERATELY COMPLEX SITS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE SECTOR. I SPENT 30-40 SECONDS TRYING TO SPEAK WITH AN ADJACENT SECTOR TO RESOLVE THE SIT IN THE SW CORNER. I HAD PREVIOUSLY GIVEN A DISCRETIONARY DSCNT TO ONE OF THE ARR ACFT X INTENDING TO MONITOR THE SIT AND MAKE CHANGES AS NECESSARY. WHEN I FINISHED COORDINATING WITH THE ADJACENT SECTOR AND RESUMED MY SCAN I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED I HAD A PROB WITH THE DSNDING ARR X AND AN OVERFLT ACFT Y. I TURNED BOTH ACFT, BUT SEPARATION WAS LOST (4.2 MI, 800 FT ABOVE FL290). I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT THIS ERROR WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF AN 'H' PERSON HAD BEEN AVAILABLE TO ASSIST WITH COORD. THERE WAS NONE.

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.

Air carrier X descent through occupied altitude had less than standard separation from air carrier Y, system error.