ARTCC radar controller transposes aircraft data blocks and descends overhead aircraft into traffic directly beneath. Controller cites time- off human factor contributing to system error.

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Attributes
ACN	395529
Time
Date	199803
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Challenger CL604
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 15 flight time total : 700
ASRS Report	395529
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	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Perhaps fpl controllers should not work busy radar position when first coming back to work after off days or vacation. This was a fairly busy sector on my first day back with arrs and departures. The error itself was purely human error. I was looking at one data block (altitude) and transposed it to the other data block. I then descended the aircraft on top to an altitude below the other aircraft. The one big question I have is why did the aircraft on top not get a TCASII RA?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR TRANSPOSES ACFT DATA BLOCKS AND DSNDS OVERHEAD ACFT INTO TFC DIRECTLY BENEATH. CTLR CITES TIME- OFF HUMAN FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO SYS ERROR.

Narrative: PERHAPS FPL CTLRS SHOULD NOT WORK BUSY RADAR POS WHEN FIRST COMING BACK TO WORK AFTER OFF DAYS OR VACATION. THIS WAS A FAIRLY BUSY SECTOR ON MY FIRST DAY BACK WITH ARRS AND DEPS. THE ERROR ITSELF WAS PURELY HUMAN ERROR. I WAS LOOKING AT ONE DATA BLOCK (ALT) AND TRANSPOSED IT TO THE OTHER DATA BLOCK. I THEN DSNDED THE ACFT ON TOP TO AN ALT BELOW THE OTHER ACFT. THE ONE BIG QUESTION I HAVE IS WHY DID THE ACFT ON TOP NOT GET A TCASII RA?

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.