An air carrier and GA aircraft lost separation in ZDC airspace.

Attributes
ACN	454391
Time
Date	199911
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ott.vor
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	454391
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 12
ASRS Report	454381
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : atcs other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Lga arrival traffic was excessively heavy into the sector with 20 NM spacing for successive arrs to next sector. Phl arrival traffic was quite heavy as was teb arrival traffic, all of which was to be placed in trail for next sector. Sector R12 is part of a new confign on the ZDC control room, and is now located some distance from my supervisor and area and in fact is located in another area. Due to the placement of the sector, flight progress strips were not posted at the sector. The associate controller was involved in posting the flight data strips rather than associate duties. A descent clearance was issued to the GA aircraft. When descent began, it was apparent that overtake speed and descent rate would result in a loss of separation. GA aircraft descent was stopped. Air carrier aircraft was descended. Separation eroded to 4 NM and 1300 ft. Supplemental information from acn 454381: I was working the associate position. The radar controller took action to avoid losing separation. I was busy doing d-side functions at the time and pulling flight data tickets and didn't have time to keep up with what was happening on the radar sector.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR AND GA ACFT LOST SEPARATION IN ZDC AIRSPACE.

Narrative: LGA ARR TFC WAS EXCESSIVELY HVY INTO THE SECTOR WITH 20 NM SPACING FOR SUCCESSIVE ARRS TO NEXT SECTOR. PHL ARR TFC WAS QUITE HVY AS WAS TEB ARR TFC, ALL OF WHICH WAS TO BE PLACED IN TRAIL FOR NEXT SECTOR. SECTOR R12 IS PART OF A NEW CONFIGN ON THE ZDC CTL ROOM, AND IS NOW LOCATED SOME DISTANCE FROM MY SUPVR AND AREA AND IN FACT IS LOCATED IN ANOTHER AREA. DUE TO THE PLACEMENT OF THE SECTOR, FLT PROGRESS STRIPS WERE NOT POSTED AT THE SECTOR. THE ASSOCIATE CTLR WAS INVOLVED IN POSTING THE FLT DATA STRIPS RATHER THAN ASSOCIATE DUTIES. A DSCNT CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO THE GA ACFT. WHEN DSCNT BEGAN, IT WAS APPARENT THAT OVERTAKE SPD AND DSCNT RATE WOULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF SEPARATION. GA ACFT DSCNT WAS STOPPED. ACR ACFT WAS DSNDED. SEPARATION ERODED TO 4 NM AND 1300 FT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 454381: I WAS WORKING THE ASSOCIATE POS. THE RADAR CTLR TOOK ACTION TO AVOID LOSING SEPARATION. I WAS BUSY DOING D-SIDE FUNCTIONS AT THE TIME AND PULLING FLT DATA TICKETS AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE RADAR SECTOR.

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.