ZAU controller experienced operational error at 11000 ft when clearing aircraft from the holding pat...

Attributes
ACN	688584
Time
Date	200602
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zau.artcc
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.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	cruise : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.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	cruise : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar instruction : instructor
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 15
ASRS Report	688584
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 flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 26400 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft were holding at plano at first. Aircraft #1 was cleared out direct ord and aircraft #2 was vectored for intrail spacing. Once it was achieved; #2 was given direct ord. As soon as I observed #2 was getting within 6 mi of #1; I told #1 verify going direct ord. Pilot stated no; they were still in the hold. I immediately took evasive action and turned both aircraft out to keep separation. What could have caused the problem was not using strips at the sector; where a notation would be made when aircraft are cleared out of holding. Instead everything is done with vret; where holding is notated but harder for radar controller to see and cannot be deleted after ord approach accepts the handoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAU CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT 11000 FT WHEN CLRING ACFT FROM THE HOLDING PATTERN TO ORD.

Narrative: ACFT WERE HOLDING AT PLANO AT FIRST. ACFT #1 WAS CLRED OUT DIRECT ORD AND ACFT #2 WAS VECTORED FOR INTRAIL SPACING. ONCE IT WAS ACHIEVED; #2 WAS GIVEN DIRECT ORD. AS SOON AS I OBSERVED #2 WAS GETTING WITHIN 6 MI OF #1; I TOLD #1 VERIFY GOING DIRECT ORD. PLT STATED NO; THEY WERE STILL IN THE HOLD. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK EVASIVE ACTION AND TURNED BOTH ACFT OUT TO KEEP SEPARATION. WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE PROB WAS NOT USING STRIPS AT THE SECTOR; WHERE A NOTATION WOULD BE MADE WHEN ACFT ARE CLRED OUT OF HOLDING. INSTEAD EVERYTHING IS DONE WITH VRET; WHERE HOLDING IS NOTATED BUT HARDER FOR RADAR CTLR TO SEE AND CANNOT BE DELETED AFTER ORD APCH ACCEPTS THE HDOF.

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.

ZAU controller experienced operational error at 11000 ft when clearing aircraft from the holding pattern to ord.