Less than standard separation between air carrier and flight of 2 navy fgt aircraft. Operation error...

Attributes
ACN	83188
Time
Date	198803
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jan
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	83188
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X was swbnd at FL240. Fgt Y was sebnd at FL250, passing over air carrier X. To separate fgt Y from another aircraft, Y was given this clearance, 'Y descend and maintain FL240, correction fgt Y maintain FL250 and turn 30 degrees right, vector for traffic.' fgt Y did not acknowledge until 21 seconds later, and his readback was, 'fgt Y out of 250 for 240.' controller immediately corrected the aircraft and cleared Y to maintain FL250 and turn 30 degrees right once again. Fgt Y then climbed to FL250, but had descended to FL247 causing a sep error with air carrier X approximately 2.5 mi away.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN ACR AND FLT OF 2 NAVY FGT ACFT. OPERATION ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X WAS SWBND AT FL240. FGT Y WAS SEBND AT FL250, PASSING OVER ACR X. TO SEPARATE FGT Y FROM ANOTHER ACFT, Y WAS GIVEN THIS CLRNC, 'Y DSND AND MAINTAIN FL240, CORRECTION FGT Y MAINTAIN FL250 AND TURN 30 DEGS RIGHT, VECTOR FOR TFC.' FGT Y DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE UNTIL 21 SECS LATER, AND HIS READBACK WAS, 'FGT Y OUT OF 250 FOR 240.' CTLR IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED THE ACFT AND CLRED Y TO MAINTAIN FL250 AND TURN 30 DEGS RIGHT ONCE AGAIN. FGT Y THEN CLBED TO FL250, BUT HAD DSNDED TO FL247 CAUSING A SEP ERROR WITH ACR X APPROX 2.5 MI AWAY.

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.