ARTCC controller failed to provide standard separation of a B757 descending through a B737 cruising flight path resulting in an ATC conflict alert and the reporter being relieved of duty.

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Attributes
ACN	471646
Time
Date	200005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sie.vortac
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 36000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 11 controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	471646
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
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 17000 vertical : 1400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Third clearance at the position, I had been on position approximately 4 mins. Traffic load was light. This sector, and the other 4 sectors in my area, are somewhat new to me. I received approximately 8-10 hours of training per sector prior to certification. Additionally, we are in our 4TH week of the dsr transition. New equipment and I am still getting used to it. Air carrier X (B757) was at FL370 requiring descent for jfk. Air carrier Y was en route swbound at FL350, west of their route proceeding direct swl. Air carrier Y data block was obscured by another data block of a dca arrival just descending through my base altitude and out of my sector. I issued descent clearance to air carrier X to FL240. Conflict alert activated as separation was lost. I vectored the air carrier X west, separation was re-established, and I was relieved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC CTLR FAILED TO PROVIDE STANDARD SEPARATION OF A B757 DSNDING THROUGH A B737 CRUISING FLT PATH RESULTING IN AN ATC CONFLICT ALERT AND THE RPTR BEING RELIEVED OF DUTY.

Narrative: THIRD CLRNC AT THE POS, I HAD BEEN ON POS APPROX 4 MINS. TFC LOAD WAS LIGHT. THIS SECTOR, AND THE OTHER 4 SECTORS IN MY AREA, ARE SOMEWHAT NEW TO ME. I RECEIVED APPROX 8-10 HRS OF TRAINING PER SECTOR PRIOR TO CERTIFICATION. ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE IN OUR 4TH WK OF THE DSR TRANSITION. NEW EQUIP AND I AM STILL GETTING USED TO IT. ACR X (B757) WAS AT FL370 REQUIRING DSCNT FOR JFK. ACR Y WAS ENRTE SWBOUND AT FL350, W OF THEIR RTE PROCEEDING DIRECT SWL. ACR Y DATA BLOCK WAS OBSCURED BY ANOTHER DATA BLOCK OF A DCA ARR JUST DSNDING THROUGH MY BASE ALT AND OUT OF MY SECTOR. I ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC TO ACR X TO FL240. CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED AS SEPARATION WAS LOST. I VECTORED THE ACR X W, SEPARATION WAS RE-ESTABLISHED, AND I WAS RELIEVED.

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.