Narrative:

I was working the maf low radar side on may/xa/00 at XA10. I had relieved a controller that was being monitored by a new person that was to take over the training for our specialty. Traffic was light (4 aircraft) so this person was asking me a lot of questions about the area around maf. I told the pilot of aircraft X who was level at 14000 ft to descend to 8000 ft. About 2 mins later, aircraft Y checked on frequency level 9500 ft VFR. I issued traffic to aircraft X at 12 O'clock 10 mi. Aircraft X replied, 'looking.' I then issued traffic to aircraft Y, but did not get a reply. As I was about to reissue traffic to aircraft Y, the person asked me another question. After I answered the question, I then looked back at the scope to see the 2 aircraft pass. I switched aircraft X to maf approach and he said 'traffic in sight' and he was not at 9500 ft but at 9800 ft. I asked the pilot of aircraft Y to say altitude. He said 9500 ft. Aircraft X switched to approach. 7 hours later, aircraft X called and wanted to file an near midair collision report. After reviewing the tapes and radar data, I should have issued a safety alert. But at the time, I did not think the 2 aircraft were going to be close. The person was a big distraction in this situation. I should have told him to stand by while I got a reply from aircraft Y.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC OCCURS AT SECTOR WHILE ARTCC RADAR CTLR AT ZFW IS ENGAGED IN CONVERSATION WITH A NEW FACILITY INSTRUCTOR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE MAF LOW RADAR SIDE ON MAY/XA/00 AT XA10. I HAD RELIEVED A CTLR THAT WAS BEING MONITORED BY A NEW PERSON THAT WAS TO TAKE OVER THE TRAINING FOR OUR SPECIALTY. TFC WAS LIGHT (4 ACFT) SO THIS PERSON WAS ASKING ME A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AREA AROUND MAF. I TOLD THE PLT OF ACFT X WHO WAS LEVEL AT 14000 FT TO DSND TO 8000 FT. ABOUT 2 MINS LATER, ACFT Y CHKED ON FREQ LEVEL 9500 FT VFR. I ISSUED TFC TO ACFT X AT 12 O'CLOCK 10 MI. ACFT X REPLIED, 'LOOKING.' I THEN ISSUED TFC TO ACFT Y, BUT DID NOT GET A REPLY. AS I WAS ABOUT TO REISSUE TFC TO ACFT Y, THE PERSON ASKED ME ANOTHER QUESTION. AFTER I ANSWERED THE QUESTION, I THEN LOOKED BACK AT THE SCOPE TO SEE THE 2 ACFT PASS. I SWITCHED ACFT X TO MAF APCH AND HE SAID 'TFC IN SIGHT' AND HE WAS NOT AT 9500 FT BUT AT 9800 FT. I ASKED THE PLT OF ACFT Y TO SAY ALT. HE SAID 9500 FT. ACFT X SWITCHED TO APCH. 7 HRS LATER, ACFT X CALLED AND WANTED TO FILE AN NMAC RPT. AFTER REVIEWING THE TAPES AND RADAR DATA, I SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A SAFETY ALERT. BUT AT THE TIME, I DID NOT THINK THE 2 ACFT WERE GOING TO BE CLOSE. THE PERSON WAS A BIG DISTR IN THIS SIT. I SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIM TO STAND BY WHILE I GOT A REPLY FROM ACFT Y.

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.