Narrative:

Large transport X was southwest off cle climbing to FL280. As aircraft cleared boundary, I turned large transport X to a 265 degree heading to clear J29 traffic. Medium large transport Y was ind departure cleared over rod J29 djb.. Ewr. Initially both aircraft were climbing to FL330, I saw traffic, stopped medium large transport Y at FL310 and turned large transport X to 270 degree heading (for cap) and continued large transport X's climb. At no time was there any doubt that with large transport X on a west heading, would clear J29, especially since he was going away from traffic. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following. Reporter contends that the primary cause of this loss of sep was fatigue and lack of concentration caused by that fatigue. He had been working two busy sectors for a total of two hours and fifteen minutes at the time of the system error. He admitted that traffic was light at the time of sep loss but still contends that his lack of action was caused by fatigue. Reporter stated that working position for too long a time is common place in his facility because of a lack of qualified controllers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT CLIMBED THROUGH THE ALT OF OPPOSITE DIRECTION ACR MLG RESULTING IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: LGT X WAS SW OFF CLE CLBING TO FL280. AS ACFT CLRED BOUNDARY, I TURNED LGT X TO A 265 DEG HDG TO CLR J29 TFC. MLG Y WAS IND DEP CLRED OVER ROD J29 DJB.. EWR. INITIALLY BOTH ACFT WERE CLBING TO FL330, I SAW TFC, STOPPED MLG Y AT FL310 AND TURNED LGT X TO 270 DEG HDG (FOR CAP) AND CONTINUED LGT X'S CLB. AT NO TIME WAS THERE ANY DOUBT THAT WITH LGT X ON A W HDG, WOULD CLR J29, ESPECIALLY SINCE HE WAS GOING AWAY FROM TFC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING. RPTR CONTENDS THAT THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THIS LOSS OF SEP WAS FATIGUE AND LACK OF CONCENTRATION CAUSED BY THAT FATIGUE. HE HAD BEEN WORKING TWO BUSY SECTORS FOR A TOTAL OF TWO HOURS AND FIFTEEN MINUTES AT THE TIME OF THE SYS ERROR. HE ADMITTED THAT TFC WAS LIGHT AT THE TIME OF SEP LOSS BUT STILL CONTENDS THAT HIS LACK OF ACTION WAS CAUSED BY FATIGUE. RPTR STATED THAT WORKING POS FOR TOO LONG A TIME IS COMMON PLACE IN HIS FAC BECAUSE OF A LACK OF QUALIFIED CTLRS.

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.