Narrative:

Air carrier X scheduled flight into lga was at FL260 and descended to FL210. Because of the way the sector is set we must blend low altitude departure traffic from the washington metropolitan area with traffic much faster at a higher cruise altitude. Because of the poor procedures that exist excessive coordination is required for the sequencing of these aircraft. I was involved in coordinating other traffic and I noticed air carrier X approaching sector boundary. I attempted to make a point out. I then noticed the data tag conflicting with another aircraft. The data tag was not readable because it was overlapping. I could not take immediate evasive action because I could not read the data tag of the other aircraft. I did not know whether to climb or descend my traffic. I tried repeatedly to offset the data tag but it would not work. Finally when I was able to offset it I noticed the aircraft were at the same altitude. I immediately descended air carrier X. Air carrier X was TCASII equipped and it appeared to work. Air carrier X reported a conflict and was taking evasive action in a descent at the same time I was issuing the clearance. The aircraft came within 3 1/2 mi. Contributing factors: the procedures at this sector are very bad. Please help us do something. This is the third error of this exact same type at this sector within the last 33 days and the second one this week, all among seasoned controllers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR INVOLVED IN LTSS DUE TO OVERLAPPING DATA TAGS.

Narrative: ACR X SCHEDULED FLT INTO LGA WAS AT FL260 AND DSNDED TO FL210. BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SECTOR IS SET WE MUST BLEND LOW ALT DEP TFC FROM THE WASHINGTON METRO AREA WITH TFC MUCH FASTER AT A HIGHER CRUISE ALT. BECAUSE OF THE POOR PROCS THAT EXIST EXCESSIVE COORD IS REQUIRED FOR THE SEQUENCING OF THESE ACFT. I WAS INVOLVED IN COORDINATING OTHER TFC AND I NOTICED ACR X APCHING SECTOR BOUNDARY. I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A POINT OUT. I THEN NOTICED THE DATA TAG CONFLICTING WITH ANOTHER ACFT. THE DATA TAG WAS NOT READABLE BECAUSE IT WAS OVERLAPPING. I COULD NOT TAKE IMMEDIATE EVASIVE ACTION BECAUSE I COULD NOT READ THE DATA TAG OF THE OTHER ACFT. I DID NOT KNOW WHETHER TO CLB OR DSND MY TFC. I TRIED REPEATEDLY TO OFFSET THE DATA TAG BUT IT WOULD NOT WORK. FINALLY WHEN I WAS ABLE TO OFFSET IT I NOTICED THE ACFT WERE AT THE SAME ALT. I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED ACR X. ACR X WAS TCASII EQUIPPED AND IT APPEARED TO WORK. ACR X RPTED A CONFLICT AND WAS TAKING EVASIVE ACTION IN A DSCNT AT THE SAME TIME I WAS ISSUING THE CLRNC. THE ACFT CAME WITHIN 3 1/2 MI. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THE PROCS AT THIS SECTOR ARE VERY BAD. PLEASE HELP US DO SOMETHING. THIS IS THE THIRD ERROR OF THIS EXACT SAME TYPE AT THIS SECTOR WITHIN THE LAST 33 DAYS AND THE SECOND ONE THIS WK, ALL AMONG SEASONED CTLRS.

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.