ZJX controller experienced operational error at FL400 between rvsm and non rvsm aircraft when 1 aircraft was assigned block altitudes for climb and descended.

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Attributes
ACN	686698
Time
Date	200602
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zjx.artcc
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 39600 msl bound upper : 42000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Falcon 900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Gates Learjet Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 3 controller radar : 14 controller time certified in position1 : 1 controller time certified in position2 : 2
ASRS Report	686698
Person 2
Affiliation	other
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 : 15000 vertical : 1400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

A non rvsm equipped aircraft; aircraft Y; was climbing to FL430. At about FL420 he advised he would not be able to make FL430 yet. He was then assigned a block altitude of FL410-FL430. Another aft that was rvsm equipped was at FL390 requesting FL410. I advised him of his traffic at FL420 and climbed him to FL400. I told him to expect higher when he was clear of his traffic. He advised he either had the traffic visually or on TCAS. The conflict alert activated so I advised the climbing aircraft to maintain his present altitude and he indicated that it was FL396. I then asked the non-rvsm to confirm that he was still level at FL420 since our data block only shows the assigned block altitude; and not the actual altitude. The non-rvsm aircraft said he was now level at FL410. I subsequently descended the rsvm aircraft to FL390 to re-establish standard non-rvsm separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZJX CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL400 BTWN RVSM AND NON RVSM ACFT WHEN 1 ACFT WAS ASSIGNED BLOCK ALTS FOR CLB AND DSNDED.

Narrative: A NON RVSM EQUIPPED ACFT; ACFT Y; WAS CLBING TO FL430. AT ABOUT FL420 HE ADVISED HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE FL430 YET. HE WAS THEN ASSIGNED A BLOCK ALT OF FL410-FL430. ANOTHER AFT THAT WAS RVSM EQUIPPED WAS AT FL390 REQUESTING FL410. I ADVISED HIM OF HIS TFC AT FL420 AND CLBED HIM TO FL400. I TOLD HIM TO EXPECT HIGHER WHEN HE WAS CLR OF HIS TFC. HE ADVISED HE EITHER HAD THE TFC VISUALLY OR ON TCAS. THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED SO I ADVISED THE CLBING ACFT TO MAINTAIN HIS PRESENT ALT AND HE INDICATED THAT IT WAS FL396. I THEN ASKED THE NON-RVSM TO CONFIRM THAT HE WAS STILL LEVEL AT FL420 SINCE OUR DATA BLOCK ONLY SHOWS THE ASSIGNED BLOCK ALT; AND NOT THE ACTUAL ALT. THE NON-RVSM ACFT SAID HE WAS NOW LEVEL AT FL410. I SUBSEQUENTLY DSNDED THE RSVM ACFT TO FL390 TO RE-ESTABLISH STANDARD NON-RVSM SEPARATION.

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.