ZTL controller experienced operational error at approximately 17000 ft when failing to realize an interim altitude was issued and separation was being lost.

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Attributes
ACN	675399
Time
Date	200510
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 16900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.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	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	King Air 100 A/B
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 23
ASRS Report	675399
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 27600 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

MD80 departed atl. I climbed him to 16000 ft for his traffic at 17000 ft. I had a d-side controller moved from my sector to another busy sector shortly before this. The d-side controller would have normally entered the interim altitude in the aircraft's data block. Conflict alert activated between MD80 and BE10. Since there was no interim altitude showing for MD80; I mistakenly assumed that I had climbed him to FL230; the routine altitude for departures. MD80 was indicating 16100 ft. I asked MD80 to be out of FL180 within 1 min and turned both aircraft. I did not officially climb MD80 until well after the incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZTL CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT APPROX 17000 FT WHEN FAILING TO REALIZE AN INTERIM ALT WAS ISSUED AND SEPARATION WAS BEING LOST.

Narrative: MD80 DEPARTED ATL. I CLBED HIM TO 16000 FT FOR HIS TFC AT 17000 FT. I HAD A D-SIDE CTLR MOVED FROM MY SECTOR TO ANOTHER BUSY SECTOR SHORTLY BEFORE THIS. THE D-SIDE CTLR WOULD HAVE NORMALLY ENTERED THE INTERIM ALT IN THE ACFT'S DATA BLOCK. CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED BTWN MD80 AND BE10. SINCE THERE WAS NO INTERIM ALT SHOWING FOR MD80; I MISTAKENLY ASSUMED THAT I HAD CLBED HIM TO FL230; THE ROUTINE ALT FOR DEPS. MD80 WAS INDICATING 16100 FT. I ASKED MD80 TO BE OUT OF FL180 WITHIN 1 MIN AND TURNED BOTH ACFT. I DID NOT OFFICIALLY CLB MD80 UNTIL WELL AFTER THE INCIDENT.

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.