ZBW ARTCC radar controller failed to assign a C141 to the proper altitude restr prior to handoff to the ZNY ARTCC. ZNY had an aircraft climbing out of new york area and had a system error due to the C141 not being at 16000 ft per LOA. ZBW controller felt the ZNY controller had plenty of time to prevent the system error from happening.

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Attributes
ACN	356715
Time
Date	199612
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw artcc : zny tower : dfw
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Starlifter (C141)
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : instrument
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 13 flight time total : 2200
ASRS Report	356715
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 10000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was busy as radar controller who had just handed off aircraft #1 to ZNY. Aircraft #1 was on direct route to intersection in ZNY airspace. He would normally have an altitude restr of 16000 ft to enter ZNY airspace. Because I was busy with other situation I descended aircraft #1 to 16000 ft without the restr, thinking he would descend normally and be at the restr altitude of 16000 ft anyway. He was handed off to ZNY in plenty of time and they had data block control. The ZNY controller called and told me to stop the aircraft #1 at FL180. I did stop him at FL180 and gave communication over to ZNY. They had an aircraft climbing out of new york which I believe they had operational error with aircraft #1. Perhaps if aircraft #1 had restr, but it was too late to give it, it would have prevented it. If aircraft #2 was leveled at 17000 ft this would have prevented it also. There seemed to be plenty of time to do this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW ARTCC RADAR CTLR FAILED TO ASSIGN A C141 TO THE PROPER ALT RESTR PRIOR TO HDOF TO THE ZNY ARTCC. ZNY HAD AN ACFT CLBING OUT OF NEW YORK AREA AND HAD A SYS ERROR DUE TO THE C141 NOT BEING AT 16000 FT PER LOA. ZBW CTLR FELT THE ZNY CTLR HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO PREVENT THE SYS ERROR FROM HAPPENING.

Narrative: I WAS BUSY AS RADAR CTLR WHO HAD JUST HANDED OFF ACFT #1 TO ZNY. ACFT #1 WAS ON DIRECT RTE TO INTXN IN ZNY AIRSPACE. HE WOULD NORMALLY HAVE AN ALT RESTR OF 16000 FT TO ENTER ZNY AIRSPACE. BECAUSE I WAS BUSY WITH OTHER SIT I DSNDED ACFT #1 TO 16000 FT WITHOUT THE RESTR, THINKING HE WOULD DSND NORMALLY AND BE AT THE RESTR ALT OF 16000 FT ANYWAY. HE WAS HANDED OFF TO ZNY IN PLENTY OF TIME AND THEY HAD DATA BLOCK CTL. THE ZNY CTLR CALLED AND TOLD ME TO STOP THE ACFT #1 AT FL180. I DID STOP HIM AT FL180 AND GAVE COM OVER TO ZNY. THEY HAD AN ACFT CLBING OUT OF NEW YORK WHICH I BELIEVE THEY HAD OPERROR WITH ACFT #1. PERHAPS IF ACFT #1 HAD RESTR, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE TO GIVE IT, IT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED IT. IF ACFT #2 WAS LEVELED AT 17000 FT THIS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED IT ALSO. THERE SEEMED TO BE PLENTY OF TIME TO DO THIS.

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.