Less than standard separation between 2 air carrier aircraft. Operational error.

Attributes
ACN	92899
Time
Date	198808
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfl
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
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
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 7 controller radar : 6 flight time total : 500
ASRS Report	92899
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : developmental
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

As controller in charge of sector I was assigned a radar trnee. The airspace was saturated with thunderstorms and all aircraft were deviating. I had just informed the supervisor I didn't feel comfortable with the situation and wanted to pull the trnee out. In the process of pulling the trnee out, air carrier X and air carrier Y deviated into each other. Air carrier X had filed sfo dbq rfd V100 farmm/ord and deviated north and air carrier Y had filed msp iow stl mem and deviated east. Air carrier X was descending from FL370 to FL240 and air carrier Y was at FL290. The incident occurred because of my failure to monitor the situation closely enough. I had been sick the day before and wasn't feeling up to training to begin with, but I felt the supervisors would frown upon refusing a trnee.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 ACR ACFT. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: AS CTLR IN CHARGE OF SECTOR I WAS ASSIGNED A RADAR TRNEE. THE AIRSPACE WAS SATURATED WITH TSTMS AND ALL ACFT WERE DEVIATING. I HAD JUST INFORMED THE SUPVR I DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE SITUATION AND WANTED TO PULL THE TRNEE OUT. IN THE PROCESS OF PULLING THE TRNEE OUT, ACR X AND ACR Y DEVIATED INTO EACH OTHER. ACR X HAD FILED SFO DBQ RFD V100 FARMM/ORD AND DEVIATED N AND ACR Y HAD FILED MSP IOW STL MEM AND DEVIATED E. ACR X WAS DSNDING FROM FL370 TO FL240 AND ACR Y WAS AT FL290. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF MY FAILURE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION CLOSELY ENOUGH. I HAD BEEN SICK THE DAY BEFORE AND WASN'T FEELING UP TO TRNING TO BEGIN WITH, BUT I FELT THE SUPVRS WOULD FROWN UPON REFUSING A TRNEE.

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.