Less than standard separation between two air carrier. Operational error.

Attributes
ACN	82262
Time
Date	198802
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sbj
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 135 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 320
ASRS Report	82262
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

My aircraft (X) cleared direct to sbj VOR and cleared to 14000'. Air carrier Y asked controller who was just off their left. The ny center told us to turn to a 220 degree heading immediately, which we did. At the same time we informed the controller that we had air carrier Y in sight. He then asked that we keep Y in visual contact. After short period we were reclred to a higher altitude and direct sbj. I guess we were never closer than 1 mi apart. This was evidently just an ATC oversight and the 2 aircraft never came dangerously close. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter clarified types of aircraft. Fact that female controller was very busy. Not sure if working N90 or ZNY at the time. Says they got an unusually early climb to 16000' or higher. Most of conversation concerned reporter dissatisfaction with the expanded east coast plan (eecp). Says controllers use excessive speed control, there are too many frequency changes due to sectorization, route into bos from southwest took them 130 mi out of way, and the qap program in centers has resulted in controllers keeping aircraft 7-10 mi apart which in effect reduces the amount of airspace available as much as 50%.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN TWO ACR. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: MY ACFT (X) CLRED DIRECT TO SBJ VOR AND CLRED TO 14000'. ACR Y ASKED CTLR WHO WAS JUST OFF THEIR LEFT. THE NY CENTER TOLD US TO TURN TO A 220 DEG HDG IMMEDIATELY, WHICH WE DID. AT THE SAME TIME WE INFORMED THE CTLR THAT WE HAD ACR Y IN SIGHT. HE THEN ASKED THAT WE KEEP Y IN VISUAL CONTACT. AFTER SHORT PERIOD WE WERE RECLRED TO A HIGHER ALT AND DIRECT SBJ. I GUESS WE WERE NEVER CLOSER THAN 1 MI APART. THIS WAS EVIDENTLY JUST AN ATC OVERSIGHT AND THE 2 ACFT NEVER CAME DANGEROUSLY CLOSE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR CLARIFIED TYPES OF ACFT. FACT THAT FEMALE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY. NOT SURE IF WORKING N90 OR ZNY AT THE TIME. SAYS THEY GOT AN UNUSUALLY EARLY CLB TO 16000' OR HIGHER. MOST OF CONVERSATION CONCERNED RPTR DISSATISFACTION WITH THE EXPANDED EAST COAST PLAN (EECP). SAYS CTLRS USE EXCESSIVE SPD CTL, THERE ARE TOO MANY FREQ CHANGES DUE TO SECTORIZATION, ROUTE INTO BOS FROM SW TOOK THEM 130 MI OUT OF WAY, AND THE QAP PROGRAM IN CENTERS HAS RESULTED IN CTLRS KEEPING ACFT 7-10 MI APART WHICH IN EFFECT REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF AIRSPACE AVAILABLE AS MUCH AS 50%.

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