ZBW controller experienced operational error at FL250 with 2 air carrier aircraft. Controller forgot airspace had been decombined and descended one aircraft into other controller's airspace.

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Attributes
ACN	665421
Time
Date	200507
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : uca.vortac
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 170/175 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar controller : non radar pilot : instrument
Experience	controller limited radar : 13 controller radar : 13 controller time certified in position1 : 13 flight time total : 730
ASRS Report	665421
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 15
ASRS Report	665421
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9600 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working at the utica sector #9; by myself. Significant WX; causing numerous deviations. Utica sector is usually combined with the watertown sector (#8). Today; due to volume issues and WX rertes; the sectors were split. I issued alternate routing to air carrier X over alb to hpn (westchester). Thinking of avoiding a busy sector; by going under it; I descended air carrier X to FL230 to get under the cambridge sector (39) which has altitudes FL240 and above. The problem arose as air carrier X descended below FL280; as that airspace belongs to the watertown sector (#8). I was busy posting flight strips. As I finished with the strips; the conflict alert activated. I unscrambled the data blocks to see what was happening. Issued an immediate turn (left) to air carrier X; away from the other aircraft. I had inadvertently used airspace that normally would be mine but today was not!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL250 WITH 2 ACR ACFT. CTLR FORGOT AIRSPACE HAD BEEN DECOMBINED AND DSNDED ONE ACFT INTO OTHER CTLR'S AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING AT THE UTICA SECTOR #9; BY MYSELF. SIGNIFICANT WX; CAUSING NUMEROUS DEVS. UTICA SECTOR IS USUALLY COMBINED WITH THE WATERTOWN SECTOR (#8). TODAY; DUE TO VOLUME ISSUES AND WX RERTES; THE SECTORS WERE SPLIT. I ISSUED ALTERNATE ROUTING TO ACR X OVER ALB TO HPN (WESTCHESTER). THINKING OF AVOIDING A BUSY SECTOR; BY GOING UNDER IT; I DSNDED ACR X TO FL230 TO GET UNDER THE CAMBRIDGE SECTOR (39) WHICH HAS ALTS FL240 AND ABOVE. THE PROB AROSE AS ACR X DSNDED BELOW FL280; AS THAT AIRSPACE BELONGS TO THE WATERTOWN SECTOR (#8). I WAS BUSY POSTING FLT STRIPS. AS I FINISHED WITH THE STRIPS; THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED. I UNSCRAMBLED THE DATA BLOCKS TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. ISSUED AN IMMEDIATE TURN (L) TO ACR X; AWAY FROM THE OTHER ACFT. I HAD INADVERTENTLY USED AIRSPACE THAT NORMALLY WOULD BE MINE BUT TODAY WAS NOT!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.