Narrative:

I was working bobcat radar (R79) which I felt had stayed fairly busy for some time; and after the second consecutive session at that sector I was beginning to feel fatigued. I had just issued holding instructions to an aircraft landing ewr; and was busy trying to find out the status (holding; in-trail; alternate routing) for aircraft landing there. I initially climbed aircraft Y (the B737) to FL320; observing traffic at FL330. When I looked back at that situation approximately 2 mins later; the FL330 traffic was clear and I climbed aircraft Y to FL350. I then descended head-on traffic at FL350 to FL340 as per SOP. At that same minute I became distraction with an aircraft that was commenting on the bad radio reception at my sector. I attempted to resolve that with the aircraft; and I overlooked wbound traffic at FL340 (the A320). I did not observe conflict alert activating until aircraft Y was already through FL335. When I did recognize the conflict I turned aircraft Y to the east in attempt to save separation; but it was too late.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZID CTLR DISTRACTED BY RADIO PROBLEMS; EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL340 WHEN CLIMBING ACFT THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING BOBCAT RADAR (R79) WHICH I FELT HAD STAYED FAIRLY BUSY FOR SOME TIME; AND AFTER THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE SESSION AT THAT SECTOR I WAS BEGINNING TO FEEL FATIGUED. I HAD JUST ISSUED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS TO AN ACFT LNDG EWR; AND WAS BUSY TRYING TO FIND OUT THE STATUS (HOLDING; IN-TRAIL; ALTERNATE ROUTING) FOR ACFT LNDG THERE. I INITIALLY CLBED ACFT Y (THE B737) TO FL320; OBSERVING TFC AT FL330. WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THAT SITUATION APPROX 2 MINS LATER; THE FL330 TFC WAS CLR AND I CLBED ACFT Y TO FL350. I THEN DSNDED HEAD-ON TFC AT FL350 TO FL340 AS PER SOP. AT THAT SAME MINUTE I BECAME DISTR WITH AN ACFT THAT WAS COMMENTING ON THE BAD RADIO RECEPTION AT MY SECTOR. I ATTEMPTED TO RESOLVE THAT WITH THE ACFT; AND I OVERLOOKED WBOUND TFC AT FL340 (THE A320). I DID NOT OBSERVE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATING UNTIL ACFT Y WAS ALREADY THROUGH FL335. WHEN I DID RECOGNIZE THE CONFLICT I TURNED ACFT Y TO THE E IN ATTEMPT TO SAVE SEPARATION; BUT IT WAS TOO LATE.

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.