ZME controller experienced loss of separation at FL310.

Attributes
ACN	611094
Time
Date	200403
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pxv.vortac
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc tower : iah.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Beechjet 400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A310
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 2 controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	611094
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 2 controller military : 8.5 controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 25
ASRS Report	611093
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 19800 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error other

Narrative:

A busy period was just winding down. Choppy at FL290. Aircraft X landing spirit of st louis needed descent to FL310 by LOA. Aircraft Y at FL290 requesting FL370. I put a distance reference indicator on aircraft X. I had an air carrier Z at FL330 converging at pxv with aircraft Y. I asked d-side to point out to sector 61 on aircraft Y reference an aircraft Z they had at FL350. The d-side said sector 61 said pointout approved, reference aircraft Z at FL350. I asked aircraft Y how long it would take to be above FL350 thinking of the converging FL330 traffic. Aircraft Y said he could be there in 2 mins. I climbed aircraft Y.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZME CTLR EXPERIENCED LOSS OF SEPARATION AT FL310.

Narrative: A BUSY PERIOD WAS JUST WINDING DOWN. CHOPPY AT FL290. ACFT X LNDG SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS NEEDED DSCNT TO FL310 BY LOA. ACFT Y AT FL290 REQUESTING FL370. I PUT A DISTANCE REF INDICATOR ON ACFT X. I HAD AN ACR Z AT FL330 CONVERGING AT PXV WITH ACFT Y. I ASKED D-SIDE TO POINT OUT TO SECTOR 61 ON ACFT Y REF AN ACFT Z THEY HAD AT FL350. THE D-SIDE SAID SECTOR 61 SAID POINTOUT APPROVED, REF ACFT Z AT FL350. I ASKED ACFT Y HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO BE ABOVE FL350 THINKING OF THE CONVERGING FL330 TFC. ACFT Y SAID HE COULD BE THERE IN 2 MINS. I CLBED 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.