Narrative:

I was working jfk departure control under extremely busy conditions. Air carrier X took off runway 31L and climbed to 5000' (per the SID). He was given a left turn to a 70 degree heading, vectors on course. The next departure was air carrier Y. He also began a climb to 5000' (per the SID). Air carrier Y was given a left turn to a 140 degree heading. At this time I had perhaps 10-12 other aircraft on the frequency, under my control. While I turned my attention to these other aircraft, air carrier X took a wide turn to this 70 degree heading, and air carrier Y took a sharp turn to his 140 degree heading. These 2 events created a cut-off situation, with air carrier Y turning inside air carrier X's turning radius. Air carrier X called my attention to the developing situation by initiating a call to tell me he was level at 5000' and that he saw air carrier Y closing off his left. Holding my full attention now, I saw air carrier X about 8 mi south of jfk level at 5000', and air carrier Y approximately 5 mi south of jfk climbing out of 4200'. The 2 aircraft were about 4 mi apart, but converging rapidly. I climbed air carrier X to 11000' and attempted to stop air carrier Y climb. Air carrier X, who obviously saw the situation developing, was ready to climb and did so rapidly. When the targets converged, I estimate that air carrier X was 1000-1200' above air carrier Y. However, I don't think I had the required sep all during this time. Air carrier X said something to the effect that it was 'too close,' but nothing more.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X MADE A WIDE LEFT TURN AFTER TKOF WHILE ACR Y MADE A TIGHT LEFT TURN RESULTING IN A LOSS OF SEPARATION.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING JFK DEP CTL UNDER EXTREMELY BUSY CONDITIONS. ACR X TOOK OFF RWY 31L AND CLBED TO 5000' (PER THE SID). HE WAS GIVEN A LEFT TURN TO A 70 DEG HDG, VECTORS ON COURSE. THE NEXT DEP WAS ACR Y. HE ALSO BEGAN A CLB TO 5000' (PER THE SID). ACR Y WAS GIVEN A LEFT TURN TO A 140 DEG HDG. AT THIS TIME I HAD PERHAPS 10-12 OTHER ACFT ON THE FREQ, UNDER MY CTL. WHILE I TURNED MY ATTN TO THESE OTHER ACFT, ACR X TOOK A WIDE TURN TO THIS 70 DEG HDG, AND ACR Y TOOK A SHARP TURN TO HIS 140 DEG HDG. THESE 2 EVENTS CREATED A CUT-OFF SITUATION, WITH ACR Y TURNING INSIDE ACR X'S TURNING RADIUS. ACR X CALLED MY ATTN TO THE DEVELOPING SITUATION BY INITIATING A CALL TO TELL ME HE WAS LEVEL AT 5000' AND THAT HE SAW ACR Y CLOSING OFF HIS LEFT. HOLDING MY FULL ATTN NOW, I SAW ACR X ABOUT 8 MI S OF JFK LEVEL AT 5000', AND ACR Y APPROX 5 MI S OF JFK CLBING OUT OF 4200'. THE 2 ACFT WERE ABOUT 4 MI APART, BUT CONVERGING RAPIDLY. I CLBED ACR X TO 11000' AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP ACR Y CLB. ACR X, WHO OBVIOUSLY SAW THE SITUATION DEVELOPING, WAS READY TO CLB AND DID SO RAPIDLY. WHEN THE TARGETS CONVERGED, I ESTIMATE THAT ACR X WAS 1000-1200' ABOVE ACR Y. HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK I HAD THE REQUIRED SEP ALL DURING THIS TIME. ACR X SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT IT WAS 'TOO CLOSE,' BUT NOTHING MORE.

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.