Standard separation lost between a B737 en route to phl and an MD80 en route to pit.

Attributes
ACN	574990
Time
Date	200302
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bkw.vortac
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 15 controller time certified in position1 : 5
ASRS Report	574990
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mode c other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Miss Distance	horizontal : 21000 vertical : 1500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft #1 was en route to phl, aircraft #2 was en route to pit. Rides were very choppy, constant light with some moderate reports. All altitudes were being used with aircraft trying to find the best rides. Heavy frequency congestion. Observed aircraft in conflict. Issued altitude changes. Conflict alert didn't activate until after loss of separation had already occurred. Aircraft continued on to destination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STANDARD SEPARATION LOST BTWN A B737 ENRTE TO PHL AND AN MD80 ENRTE TO PIT.

Narrative: ACFT #1 WAS ENRTE TO PHL, ACFT #2 WAS ENRTE TO PIT. RIDES WERE VERY CHOPPY, CONSTANT LIGHT WITH SOME MODERATE RPTS. ALL ALTS WERE BEING USED WITH ACFT TRYING TO FIND THE BEST RIDES. HVY FREQ CONGESTION. OBSERVED ACFT IN CONFLICT. ISSUED ALT CHANGES. CONFLICT ALERT DIDN'T ACTIVATE UNTIL AFTER LOSS OF SEPARATION HAD ALREADY OCCURRED. ACFT CONTINUED ON TO DEST.

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.