Aircraft X was descended through the altitude of aircraft Y, resulting in less than standard separat...

Attributes
ACN	464098
Time
Date	200002
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 10 controller time certified in position1 : 8 flight time total : 80
ASRS Report	464098
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 16 controller time certified in position1 : 11 flight time total : 250
ASRS Report	464099
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : edp other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 21600 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working the radar associate position at the air sector. Traffic was moderate to heavy. I was stuffing strips, sequencing them and helping the radar controller. I was stuffing strips when I heard the radar controller issue a descent clearance to aircraft X to 'descend and maintain FL240.' I knew that there was traffic there, and asked him 'did you just give that aircraft X a descent?' he responded yes, and immediately tried to stop aircraft X from descending. He was not successful and separation was lost. At the time we were extremely busy with crossing traffic and spacing, actively talking to approximately 19 aircraft. Data block overlap did contribute to the operational error. We were short on staffing and had asked flow control for additional spacing, but were turned down. It probably would have helped if we had some help from flow control.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT X WAS DSNDED THROUGH THE ALT OF ACFT Y, RESULTING IN LTSS.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE RADAR ASSOCIATE POS AT THE AIR SECTOR. TFC WAS MODERATE TO HVY. I WAS STUFFING STRIPS, SEQUENCING THEM AND HELPING THE RADAR CTLR. I WAS STUFFING STRIPS WHEN I HEARD THE RADAR CTLR ISSUE A DSCNT CLRNC TO ACFT X TO 'DSND AND MAINTAIN FL240.' I KNEW THAT THERE WAS TFC THERE, AND ASKED HIM 'DID YOU JUST GIVE THAT ACFT X A DSCNT?' HE RESPONDED YES, AND IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO STOP ACFT X FROM DSNDING. HE WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL AND SEPARATION WAS LOST. AT THE TIME WE WERE EXTREMELY BUSY WITH XING TFC AND SPACING, ACTIVELY TALKING TO APPROX 19 ACFT. DATA BLOCK OVERLAP DID CONTRIBUTE TO THE OPERROR. WE WERE SHORT ON STAFFING AND HAD ASKED FLOW CTL FOR ADDITIONAL SPACING, BUT WERE TURNED DOWN. IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HELPED IF WE HAD SOME HELP FROM FLOW CTL.

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.

Aircraft X was descended through the altitude of aircraft Y, resulting in less than standard separation.