ZTL CONTROLLER DESCRIBED LOSS OF SEPARATION EVENT NEAR FL250; CAUSED WHEN ONE AIRCRAFT LOST PITCH CONTROL; CLIMBED; RESULTING IN TCAS RA EVENT.

Narrative

WORKING CLTHI SECTOR ZTL (FL240-FL340); I ACCEPTED HDOF ON ACFT #2 EBOUND AT FL250. I ACCEPTED HDOF ON ACFT #1 NBOUND DEP FROM CLT CLBING TO FL230. I CLBED ACFT #2 TO FL240. AS ACFT #2 LEVELED FL240; I ISSUED TFC TO BOTH ACFT. BOTH ACFT ADVISED 'TFC IN SIGHT.' BOTH ACFT WERE NEAR SECTOR BOUNDARY; I COORDINATED WITH NEXT SECTOR; 'ACFT #2 HAS ACFT #1 IN SIGHT; YOUR CTL TO CLB ACFT #1 REF ACFT #2.' I XFERRED COMS OF ACFT #2 TO THE NEXT SECTOR. MOMENTS LATER I NOTICE ACFT #2'S MODE C READOUT AT FL243. I CALL THE NEXT SECTOR TO ADVISE. THE CTLR SAYS THE PLT IS RPTING A PITCH PROB AS THE MODE C INDICATES FL246 WHILE ACFT #1 IS ANNOUNCING A CLB IN RESPONSE TO AN RA. THE TARGETS MERGED ON THE SCOPE. ACFT #1 RETURNED TO FL250 AND ASKED WHAT HAPPENED. I TOLD HIM THE OTHER PLT RPTED A PITCH PROB. I WAS NOT REMOVED FROM THE SECTOR AS IS CUSTOMARY (AND MANDATORY) WHEN AN INCIDENT OCCURS THAT IS CTLR ERROR. I WAS VISIBLY SHAKEN HAVING SEEN THE PROX OF THE 2 ACFT AND I REQUESTED A BREAK FROM THE SECTOR.