Narrative:

Ojti being conducted. Sector 36 (ultra-high FL340-600) with air carrier X on the MAIER2 arrival for phx. We accomplished a pointout to sector 35 (FL240-330) and were approved to cross sinho intersection at FL290 to descend below swbound traffic at FL320. Deviation issued 'air carrier X; cross sinho at FL290' with the correct readback. We became distraction with other traffic and when I looked back at air carrier X; I noticed he had passed sinho and was descending out of FL310. The deviation advised air carrier X that the restr was to cross sinho at FL290; the pilot responded; 'we thought it was wotro.' fortunately the strong northwesterly en route winds kept air carrier X in front of the swbound FL320 traffic and no loss of separation occurred. I believe the biggest problem is the maier arrival has a published crossing restr of FL290 at wotro; which is the intersection following sinho. We routinely use sinho; though; to descend under en route traffic. I brought this discrepancy (similar sounding intersection names) to the flm's attention; so hopefully we'll see a name change soon. Supplemental information from acn 789469: MAIER2 arrival wotro intersection depicts cross at FL290 and navigation database has FL290 built in for wotro. Clearance issued to cross sinho at FL290. Did not insert FL290 into sinho and descended and crossed down-line wotro at FL290. ATC advised clearance was issued to cross sinho at FL290 as we crossed wotro. As clearance was issued 'cross sinho at FL290' I was experiencing mild abdominal discomfort. I did manage to state 'sinho' and I glanced at the flight plan to confirm FL290 but failed to confirm that it matched sinho as opposed to wotro. I was focused mostly on my discomfort and considering methods of relieving it; eg: using the lav; however considering the phase of flight and the difficulty of assembling the flight attendants in short order I decided to endure the discomfort. I told the pm that I was experiencing abdominal discomfort but I did not emphasize that I was experiencing a degraded condition so to speak. I made light of the fact that; 'last night's dinner was coming back to haunt me.' I should have stated; 'I'm in a little pain; please make extra sure I'm doing everything right.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAB CTLR PROVIDING OJT DESCRIBED NEAR LOSS OF SEPARATION AS PHX ARR FAILED TO MAKE CROSSING ALT; PLT DISTRACTION LISTED AS CAUSAL FACTOR.

Narrative: OJTI BEING CONDUCTED. SECTOR 36 (ULTRA-HIGH FL340-600) WITH ACR X ON THE MAIER2 ARR FOR PHX. WE ACCOMPLISHED A POINTOUT TO SECTOR 35 (FL240-330) AND WERE APPROVED TO CROSS SINHO INTXN AT FL290 TO DSND BELOW SWBOUND TFC AT FL320. DEV ISSUED 'ACR X; CROSS SINHO AT FL290' WITH THE CORRECT READBACK. WE BECAME DISTR WITH OTHER TFC AND WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT ACR X; I NOTICED HE HAD PASSED SINHO AND WAS DSNDING OUT OF FL310. THE DEV ADVISED ACR X THAT THE RESTR WAS TO CROSS SINHO AT FL290; THE PLT RESPONDED; 'WE THOUGHT IT WAS WOTRO.' FORTUNATELY THE STRONG NORTHWESTERLY ENRTE WINDS KEPT ACR X IN FRONT OF THE SWBOUND FL320 TFC AND NO LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED. I BELIEVE THE BIGGEST PROB IS THE MAIER ARR HAS A PUBLISHED XING RESTR OF FL290 AT WOTRO; WHICH IS THE INTXN FOLLOWING SINHO. WE ROUTINELY USE SINHO; THOUGH; TO DSND UNDER ENRTE TFC. I BROUGHT THIS DISCREPANCY (SIMILAR SOUNDING INTXN NAMES) TO THE FLM'S ATTN; SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE A NAME CHANGE SOON. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 789469: MAIER2 ARR WOTRO INTXN DEPICTS CROSS AT FL290 AND NAV DATABASE HAS FL290 BUILT IN FOR WOTRO. CLRNC ISSUED TO CROSS SINHO AT FL290. DID NOT INSERT FL290 INTO SINHO AND DSNDED AND CROSSED DOWN-LINE WOTRO AT FL290. ATC ADVISED CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO CROSS SINHO AT FL290 AS WE CROSSED WOTRO. AS CLRNC WAS ISSUED 'CROSS SINHO AT FL290' I WAS EXPERIENCING MILD ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT. I DID MANAGE TO STATE 'SINHO' AND I GLANCED AT THE FLT PLAN TO CONFIRM FL290 BUT FAILED TO CONFIRM THAT IT MATCHED SINHO AS OPPOSED TO WOTRO. I WAS FOCUSED MOSTLY ON MY DISCOMFORT AND CONSIDERING METHODS OF RELIEVING IT; EG: USING THE LAV; HOWEVER CONSIDERING THE PHASE OF FLT AND THE DIFFICULTY OF ASSEMBLING THE FLT ATTENDANTS IN SHORT ORDER I DECIDED TO ENDURE THE DISCOMFORT. I TOLD THE PM THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT BUT I DID NOT EMPHASIZE THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING A DEGRADED CONDITION SO TO SPEAK. I MADE LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT; 'LAST NIGHT'S DINNER WAS COMING BACK TO HAUNT ME.' I SHOULD HAVE STATED; 'I'M IN A LITTLE PAIN; PLEASE MAKE EXTRA SURE I'M DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.