Less than standard separation between air carrier and military aircraft. Operational error.

Attributes
ACN	83140
Time
Date	198801
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sbv
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Experimental
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 19
ASRS Report	83140
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X departing gso proceeding direct ric climbing to FL210 military Y proceeding fak direct gso descending to 110 passed by each other with less than standard separation (4 mi). I believe systems error happened because of preoccupation with other things in sectors and air carrier X not climbing as fast as an large transport normally climbs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN ACR AND MIL ACFT. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X DEPARTING GSO PROCEEDING DIRECT RIC CLIMBING TO FL210 MIL Y PROCEEDING FAK DIRECT GSO DESCENDING TO 110 PASSED BY EACH OTHER WITH LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION (4 MI). I BELIEVE SYSTEMS ERROR HAPPENED BECAUSE OF PREOCCUPATION WITH OTHER THINGS IN SECTORS AND ACR X NOT CLIMBING AS FAST AS AN LGT NORMALLY CLIMBS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.