ZDC radar assoc controller described operational error at approximately FL360 when controller climbed aircraft through occupied altitude; alleging no data block information.

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Attributes
ACN	724180
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : atr.vor
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 36000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Experience	controller time certified in position2 : 5
ASRS Report	724180
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 2 controller time certified in position1 : 1 controller time certified in position2 : 10
ASRS Report	724181
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 28800 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft #1 was level FL370 northbound. Aircraft #2 was at FL360 requesting FL380. For some reason there was no data tag for aircraft #1. With no traffic visible; aircraft #2 was climbed to FL380. There was no indication that anything was wrong until aircraft #2 reported that he was responding to an RA. Only then did conflict alert go off and the data tag reappeared. Neither the radar controller nor myself removed the data tag; and as of today no one knows what happened. According to the operations desk's tools; they are showing that we had a data tag the entire time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC RADAR ASSOC CTLR DESCRIBED OPERROR AT APPROX FL360 WHEN CTLR CLIMBED ACFT THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT; ALLEGING NO DATA BLOCK INFO.

Narrative: ACFT #1 WAS LEVEL FL370 NBOUND. ACFT #2 WAS AT FL360 REQUESTING FL380. FOR SOME REASON THERE WAS NO DATA TAG FOR ACFT #1. WITH NO TFC VISIBLE; ACFT #2 WAS CLBED TO FL380. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG UNTIL ACFT #2 RPTED THAT HE WAS RESPONDING TO AN RA. ONLY THEN DID CONFLICT ALERT GO OFF AND THE DATA TAG REAPPEARED. NEITHER THE RADAR CTLR NOR MYSELF REMOVED THE DATA TAG; AND AS OF TODAY NO ONE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED. ACCORDING TO THE OPS DESK'S TOOLS; THEY ARE SHOWING THAT WE HAD A DATA TAG THE ENTIRE TIME.

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.