Narrative:

Air carrier X and air carrier Y were 8-10 mi in trail, at 250 KTS assigned, at 13000' MSL and on 130 degree headings to join V213 to sax direct ewr. After air carrier X had flown 1 mi past V213, I questioned the pilot if he had joined the airway. The pilot responded affirmatively. One min later the radar data wasn't confirming that air carrier X was turning to join the airway and was 7-8 mi east of V213. I assigned air carrier X a heading of 25 to join V213 and a descent to 11000 MSL. At this time air carrier Y was joining V213 as assigned. I recognized the conflict and told air carrier X to expedite the descent to get vertical separation. There was a frequency interruption from another aircraft checking on. I assigned air carrier Y a left turn heading 030 to try to get lateral separation. Air carrier Y had turned from 130 degree to approximately 170 degree to join the airway. Required separation is 5 mi lateral and 1000 vertical. These 2 aircraft were approximately 4 mi lateral and 600' vertical at the closest point. Suggestion: if a pilot is having difficulty joining an airway, he should inform the controller. When air carrier X confirmed joining V213, I assumed the pilot was correct. I also assumed the aircraft was in a sharp turn and that this had not updated on the radar. If the pilot had reported difficulty joining the airway, I would have immediately assigned another heading to join.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION FROM ACR Y. SYSTEM ERROR. ACR X FLT CREW FAILED TO JOIN AIRWAY. PLT DEVIATION.

Narrative: ACR X AND ACR Y WERE 8-10 MI IN TRAIL, AT 250 KTS ASSIGNED, AT 13000' MSL AND ON 130 DEG HDGS TO JOIN V213 TO SAX DIRECT EWR. AFTER ACR X HAD FLOWN 1 MI PAST V213, I QUESTIONED THE PLT IF HE HAD JOINED THE AIRWAY. THE PLT RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY. ONE MIN LATER THE RADAR DATA WASN'T CONFIRMING THAT ACR X WAS TURNING TO JOIN THE AIRWAY AND WAS 7-8 MI E OF V213. I ASSIGNED ACR X A HDG OF 25 TO JOIN V213 AND A DSCNT TO 11000 MSL. AT THIS TIME ACR Y WAS JOINING V213 AS ASSIGNED. I RECOGNIZED THE CONFLICT AND TOLD ACR X TO EXPEDITE THE DSCNT TO GET VERTICAL SEPARATION. THERE WAS A FREQ INTERRUPTION FROM ANOTHER ACFT CHECKING ON. I ASSIGNED ACR Y A LEFT TURN HDG 030 TO TRY TO GET LATERAL SEPARATION. ACR Y HAD TURNED FROM 130 DEG TO APPROX 170 DEG TO JOIN THE AIRWAY. REQUIRED SEPARATION IS 5 MI LATERAL AND 1000 VERTICAL. THESE 2 ACFT WERE APPROX 4 MI LATERAL AND 600' VERTICAL AT THE CLOSEST POINT. SUGGESTION: IF A PLT IS HAVING DIFFICULTY JOINING AN AIRWAY, HE SHOULD INFORM THE CTLR. WHEN ACR X CONFIRMED JOINING V213, I ASSUMED THE PLT WAS CORRECT. I ALSO ASSUMED THE ACFT WAS IN A SHARP TURN AND THAT THIS HAD NOT UPDATED ON THE RADAR. IF THE PLT HAD REPORTED DIFFICULTY JOINING THE AIRWAY, I WOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY ASSIGNED ANOTHER HDG TO JOIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.