Narrative:

Air carrier X handed off to ZDC from ZNY climbing to FL240. I was giving OJT to a trainee with approximately 100 hours on this position. Trainee climbed air carrier X to FL310 initially then amended to FL280. Air carrier Y was northbound direct to jfk at FL250. I was aware of both aircraft and potential conflict but decided to wait to let trainee resolve (aircraft would pass approximately 4 mi). Trainee attempted to turn air carrier X 20 degrees west -- this was not acknowledged on first call. Trainee repeated instruction to air carrier X then turned air carrier Y 30 degrees east. When trainee realized there would be possible loss of approved separation turned air carrier X an additional 30 degrees right. Could have possibly maintained approved separation with an immediate turn and descent but I felt the dangers to passenger and crew in the maneuver was far worse than lacking 1 mi of separation. Supplemental information from acn 390210: aircraft sbound on J79 to vills intersection. Sbound passed first 2 northbound aircraft and was then issued a climb. Third aircraft came within 3 NM and 500 ft of sbound traffic. Third aircraft was /a equipped. Had the third aircraft had RNAV he may not have tracked west of the first two.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CTLR TRAINEE WITH AN INSTRUCTOR CLBS A SBOUND ACR THROUGH AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION ACR'S ALT. THE TRAINEE ISSUED TURNS TO BOTH ACFT, BUT THEY WERE NOT SUFFICIENT ENOUGH OR TIMELY ENOUGH TO PREVENT A LOSS OF SEPARATION.

Narrative: ACR X HANDED OFF TO ZDC FROM ZNY CLBING TO FL240. I WAS GIVING OJT TO A TRAINEE WITH APPROX 100 HRS ON THIS POS. TRAINEE CLBED ACR X TO FL310 INITIALLY THEN AMENDED TO FL280. ACR Y WAS NBOUND DIRECT TO JFK AT FL250. I WAS AWARE OF BOTH ACFT AND POTENTIAL CONFLICT BUT DECIDED TO WAIT TO LET TRAINEE RESOLVE (ACFT WOULD PASS APPROX 4 MI). TRAINEE ATTEMPTED TO TURN ACR X 20 DEGS W -- THIS WAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED ON FIRST CALL. TRAINEE REPEATED INSTRUCTION TO ACR X THEN TURNED ACR Y 30 DEGS E. WHEN TRAINEE REALIZED THERE WOULD BE POSSIBLE LOSS OF APPROVED SEPARATION TURNED ACR X AN ADDITIONAL 30 DEGS R. COULD HAVE POSSIBLY MAINTAINED APPROVED SEPARATION WITH AN IMMEDIATE TURN AND DSCNT BUT I FELT THE DANGERS TO PAX AND CREW IN THE MANEUVER WAS FAR WORSE THAN LACKING 1 MI OF SEPARATION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 390210: ACFT SBOUND ON J79 TO VILLS INTXN. SBOUND PASSED FIRST 2 NBOUND ACFT AND WAS THEN ISSUED A CLB. THIRD ACFT CAME WITHIN 3 NM AND 500 FT OF SBOUND TFC. THIRD ACFT WAS /A EQUIPPED. HAD THE THIRD ACFT HAD RNAV HE MAY NOT HAVE TRACKED W OF THE FIRST TWO.

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.