ZBW controller experienced operational error at 17000 ft with descending and holding aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	623265
Time
Date	200407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mvy.vor
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl single value : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc tower : tlh.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-31T-1 Cheyenne I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-31T-1 Cheyenne I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 15
ASRS Report	623265
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller time certified in position1 : 16
ASRS Report	623263
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other controllerb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9720 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

The sector was saturated with traffic. We were in the process of shutting off adjacent sectors and did not want any more traffic in the sector. The radar controller was vectoring aircraft through the arrival gate to comply with cape LOA. He also issued present position holds to 2 aircraft to comply with mi in-trail restr to cape approach. The radar controller descended aircraft #2 from FL190 to 11000 ft. This descent put aircraft in conflict with aircraft #1 and they got within 1.62 mi and 400 ft of one another. Aircraft #1 was at 17000 ft in a hold status. Supplemental information from acn 623263: the traffic was very complex due to deviations (WX). Bad rtes, aircraft too high to make restrs and in-trail requirements.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT 17000 FT WITH DSNDING AND HOLDING ACFT.

Narrative: THE SECTOR WAS SATURATED WITH TFC. WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF SHUTTING OFF ADJACENT SECTORS AND DID NOT WANT ANY MORE TFC IN THE SECTOR. THE RADAR CTLR WAS VECTORING ACFT THROUGH THE ARR GATE TO COMPLY WITH CAPE LOA. HE ALSO ISSUED PRESENT POS HOLDS TO 2 ACFT TO COMPLY WITH MI IN-TRAIL RESTR TO CAPE APCH. THE RADAR CTLR DSNDED ACFT #2 FROM FL190 TO 11000 FT. THIS DSCNT PUT ACFT IN CONFLICT WITH ACFT #1 AND THEY GOT WITHIN 1.62 MI AND 400 FT OF ONE ANOTHER. ACFT #1 WAS AT 17000 FT IN A HOLD STATUS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 623263: THE TFC WAS VERY COMPLEX DUE TO DEVS (WX). BAD RTES, ACFT TOO HIGH TO MAKE RESTRS AND IN-TRAIL REQUIREMENTS.

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.