N90 controller providing OJT experienced operational error when student misidented a departure; confusing it with another and separation was lost.

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Attributes
ACN	680085
Time
Date	200509
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk.airport
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon tower : fai.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Canadair/Bombardier Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach instruction : instructor
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 15 controller time certified in position1 : 5
ASRS Report	680085
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

A B757 departed jfk airport and initial call-up was blocked by another aircraft. The B757 was on the wrong code squawking XXXX and the radar did not show a primary or secondary on the jfk radar. Another rbv departure took off and my trainee mistakenly called that aircraft radar with the wrong call sign. He had looked at the strip of the aircraft that was 6 mi ahead. We still had no primary; or secondary on the B757. The B757 got in close proximity to a regional jet 15-20 mi southwest of the airport. All radars working off the jfk radar showed nothing. The ewr radar showed primary and secondary and showed the target squawking XXXX. The computer (according to airways facilities) interpreted the code as something we did not need to see and deleted it as interference. To this day; no explanation can be given for why this happened; and no patch has been put in to correct it (to my knowledge). I have been charged with an operational error for this; but given no review board or chance to defend myself. In my opinion; jfk radar is unreliable until this is corrected.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: N90 CTLR PROVIDING OJT EXPERIENCED OPERROR WHEN STUDENT MISIDENTED A DEP; CONFUSING IT WITH ANOTHER AND SEPARATION WAS LOST.

Narrative: A B757 DEPARTED JFK ARPT AND INITIAL CALL-UP WAS BLOCKED BY ANOTHER ACFT. THE B757 WAS ON THE WRONG CODE SQUAWKING XXXX AND THE RADAR DID NOT SHOW A PRIMARY OR SECONDARY ON THE JFK RADAR. ANOTHER RBV DEP TOOK OFF AND MY TRAINEE MISTAKENLY CALLED THAT ACFT RADAR WITH THE WRONG CALL SIGN. HE HAD LOOKED AT THE STRIP OF THE ACFT THAT WAS 6 MI AHEAD. WE STILL HAD NO PRIMARY; OR SECONDARY ON THE B757. THE B757 GOT IN CLOSE PROX TO A REGIONAL JET 15-20 MI SW OF THE ARPT. ALL RADARS WORKING OFF THE JFK RADAR SHOWED NOTHING. THE EWR RADAR SHOWED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AND SHOWED THE TARGET SQUAWKING XXXX. THE COMPUTER (ACCORDING TO AIRWAYS FACILITIES) INTERPED THE CODE AS SOMETHING WE DID NOT NEED TO SEE AND DELETED IT AS INTERFERENCE. TO THIS DAY; NO EXPLANATION CAN BE GIVEN FOR WHY THIS HAPPENED; AND NO PATCH HAS BEEN PUT IN TO CORRECT IT (TO MY KNOWLEDGE). I HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH AN OPERROR FOR THIS; BUT GIVEN NO REVIEW BOARD OR CHANCE TO DEFEND MYSELF. IN MY OPINION; JFK RADAR IS UNRELIABLE UNTIL THIS IS CORRECTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.