Date: 201505
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZBW.ARTCC, NH
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Descent
Airspace: Class E ZBW
ATC / advisory: Center ZBW
Second aircraft: Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Enroute
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Workload
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Procedure; Weather
Primary problem: Weather

Narrative: 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.




Synopsis: 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.