Narrative:

I was conducting training at jfk high sector on friday afternoon during busy and complex traffic. My trainee was near his traffic limit and issued a clearance which put 2 air carrier large transport's into conflict by descending air carrier X from FL330 to FL290 with air carrier Y converging at FL310. I immediately informed the trainee that the clearance did not ensure separation and waited for him to issue an amended clearance, which he did shortly thereafter. The air carrier X pilot did not respond to the amended clearance. I then took over the frequency turning air carrier X further right and telling him to make a tight turn. Air carrier X failed to respond to this clearance. I then turned air carrier Y 30 degree right to assist in separation. He failed to respond. I turned him again and he read back the clearance. I went back to air carrier X and turned him right to 100 degree, tight turn, expedite to FL290. He read this back. I issued traffic to air carrier X and he reported traffic in sight. I believe the main causes of this error were: 1) poor traffic search by trainee. 2) OJT instructor trying to allow trainee to recover from mistake vs immediately taking over frequency. 3) pilot's failure to maintain a listening watch for ATC clrncs. 4) strong upper wind that increased air carrier X turning radios and reduce his rate of descent per mile. Supplemental information from acn 132866: we were cruising at FL330, on the 230 degree radial inbound to jfk around 30 to 50 mi south of jfk. Around this point we were given a heading of 010 degree and to maintain FL290. We replied 010 degree and out of 330 for 290. After 10-15 degree of left turn passing thru FL320 we were told to turn right to 100 degree at maximum rate and expedite to 290.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CONFLICTED WITH ANOTHER ACFT ON CONVERGING COURSE RESULTING IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: I WAS CONDUCTING TRAINING AT JFK HIGH SECTOR ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON DURING BUSY AND COMPLEX TFC. MY TRAINEE WAS NEAR HIS TFC LIMIT AND ISSUED A CLRNC WHICH PUT 2 ACR LGT'S INTO CONFLICT BY DESCENDING ACR X FROM FL330 TO FL290 WITH ACR Y CONVERGING AT FL310. I IMMEDIATELY INFORMED THE TRAINEE THAT THE CLRNC DID NOT ENSURE SEPARATION AND WAITED FOR HIM TO ISSUE AN AMENDED CLRNC, WHICH HE DID SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE ACR X PLT DID NOT RESPOND TO THE AMENDED CLRNC. I THEN TOOK OVER THE FREQ TURNING ACR X FURTHER RIGHT AND TELLING HIM TO MAKE A TIGHT TURN. ACR X FAILED TO RESPOND TO THIS CLRNC. I THEN TURNED ACR Y 30 DEG RIGHT TO ASSIST IN SEPARATION. HE FAILED TO RESPOND. I TURNED HIM AGAIN AND HE READ BACK THE CLRNC. I WENT BACK TO ACR X AND TURNED HIM RIGHT TO 100 DEG, TIGHT TURN, EXPEDITE TO FL290. HE READ THIS BACK. I ISSUED TFC TO ACR X AND HE REPORTED TFC IN SIGHT. I BELIEVE THE MAIN CAUSES OF THIS ERROR WERE: 1) POOR TFC SEARCH BY TRAINEE. 2) OJT INSTRUCTOR TRYING TO ALLOW TRAINEE TO RECOVER FROM MISTAKE VS IMMEDIATELY TAKING OVER FREQ. 3) PLT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A LISTENING WATCH FOR ATC CLRNCS. 4) STRONG UPPER WIND THAT INCREASED ACR X TURNING RADIOS AND REDUCE HIS RATE OF DSCNT PER MILE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 132866: WE WERE CRUISING AT FL330, ON THE 230 DEG RADIAL INBND TO JFK AROUND 30 TO 50 MI S OF JFK. AROUND THIS POINT WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 010 DEG AND TO MAINTAIN FL290. WE REPLIED 010 DEG AND OUT OF 330 FOR 290. AFTER 10-15 DEG OF LEFT TURN PASSING THRU FL320 WE WERE TOLD TO TURN RIGHT TO 100 DEG AT MAX RATE AND EXPEDITE TO 290.

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.