ZNY controller experienced operational error during WX deviations and spacing vectors at FL180.

Attributes
ACN	623407
Time
Date	200405
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mxe.vor
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17500 msl bound upper : 18500
Environment
Weather Elements	Rain Thunderstorm
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : developmental
Experience	controller limited radar : 4
ASRS Report	623407
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 25500 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

There was a lot of WX during the occurrence. I was working combined sectors at the time. WX was coming from west to east with many aircraft deviating. I had an atlantic city arrival and a phl departure swbound. I had to vector the phl departure northwest to clear traffic going to baltimore. At this time my acy arrival needed to deviate sebound for WX. With the deviation and the vector of the phl departure, the aircraft were clear of each other. As time went by the phl departure informed me that the aircraft could not proceed wbound, for the WX. I then turned the plane to a southeasterly heading to stay east of the WX and west of my acy arrival. Seconds later, the arrs were 4.25 mi and 500 ft. To correct this next time, altitude should be used to insure separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZNY CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR DURING WX DEVS AND SPACING VECTORS AT FL180.

Narrative: THERE WAS A LOT OF WX DURING THE OCCURRENCE. I WAS WORKING COMBINED SECTORS AT THE TIME. WX WAS COMING FROM W TO E WITH MANY ACFT DEVIATING. I HAD AN ATLANTIC CITY ARR AND A PHL DEP SWBOUND. I HAD TO VECTOR THE PHL DEP NW TO CLR TFC GOING TO BALTIMORE. AT THIS TIME MY ACY ARR NEEDED TO DEVIATE SEBOUND FOR WX. WITH THE DEV AND THE VECTOR OF THE PHL DEP, THE ACFT WERE CLR OF EACH OTHER. AS TIME WENT BY THE PHL DEP INFORMED ME THAT THE ACFT COULD NOT PROCEED WBOUND, FOR THE WX. I THEN TURNED THE PLANE TO A SOUTHEASTERLY HDG TO STAY E OF THE WX AND W OF MY ACY ARR. SECONDS LATER, THE ARRS WERE 4.25 MI AND 500 FT. TO CORRECT THIS NEXT TIME, ALT SHOULD BE USED TO INSURE SEPARATION.

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.