Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 6
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Human Factors; Procedure; Weather
I was working Bosox and Providence (47 and 34) sectors combined early in the afternoon.  Traffic volume started to increase a little; but workload was already elevated because of deviations and pilots asking for route and weather information. I had several aircraft in the vicinity of NELIE and HFD; most needing to move through each other; of course. I recall Aircraft X was landing ASH and was direct GDM at 17;000. Aircraft Y aircraft in question was destined for HPN and flying direct NELIE and descending to 16;000. I had cleared Aircraft X direct to GDM to ensure he crossed behind the path of another aircraft which was descending to cross WIPOR at 11;000. Another aircraft; Aircraft Z; I believe; had just crossed in front of the path of Aircraft X at 16;000; destined for TEB.  That aircraft had been shortcut to SAGES intersection for weather avoidance; and I remember wondering whether or not Aircraft Z would go fast enough to remain in front of Aircraft Y aircraft until their paths diverged. Aircraft Z remained sufficiently in front; and the aircraft descending towards WIPOR was about to leave 15;000. At that moment; I apparently forgot about Aircraft Y I had been watching just a moment ago; because I instructed Aircraft X to descend to 16;000. (I had to eventually get them to 11;000.) A second or two later; I realized I had issued a descent right into the path of Aircraft Y and for the same altitude. Aircraft X either had not yet started down or had only begun to descend when I came up with something like 'Don't descend; maintain 17;000.' I was shaken in the immediate aftermath of that clearance because it was an obvious traffic conflict that would have resulted in the aircraft possibly passing within a mile of each other; and I completely blanked for a long enough to issue a clearance to 16;000; regardless of the fact that I resolved the situation just a few seconds later. It was around that time the supervisor had a returning controller take sector 34 from me; which brings us to part II.  The briefing to the controller taking sector 34 was broken and interrupted.  There were a few calls while I was trying to give the brief; and long story short; I apparently forgot to inform the new controller about a TFR over OQU.  I don't recall any of this except there were calls during the briefing. Subsequently; BOS went into a hold over PROVI/PVD; and the controller at 34 issued holding instructions through active TFR airspace.A d-side may have been helpful.
ZBW Controller describes an almost loss of separation between two aircraft he was working that he catches and saves at the last minute. Controller was working a combined sector and aircraft were deviating because of weather. When the sector get splits he forgets to tell the relieving Controller about a TFR; and later that Controller violates the TFR.