Narrative:

I was working radar sector 73 for over 1 hour. The traffic was moderate to heavy at times. Traffic was being rerouted through my airspace due to WX. We had opposite direction climbing and descending traffic taking place into aircraft that are also deviating in my airspace. When aircraft X was handed off to my sector, aircraft Y was on a WX deviation heading approximately 090 degrees when aircraft #1 was climbed opposite direction heading 290 degrees with about 7 mi lateral courses. Aircraft Y was at FL210 when aircraft X was climbed to FL220. He then requested FL200 as a final and was issued that. Aircraft Y then appeared to descend and turn to the south. Aircraft X was stopped at FL190. I called radar sector 27 and informed them to amend aircraft Y to FL200. I then called aircraft #1 and issued a heading of 250 degrees. The pilot said he could not turn due to WX. I then descended him to 17000 ft at which point the error occurred a few seconds later. This sector is only 40 mi wide with 2 jet rtes through it. It is constantly busy with volume and several in trail restrs that are impossible to adhere to. Traffic management continues to look the other way when this sector needs help. Oalts are 14 for sector. The computer shows 16.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZNY ARTCC RADAR CTLR LOST SEPARATION BTWN OPPOSITE DIRECTION ACFT DSNDING AND CLBING.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING RADAR SECTOR 73 FOR OVER 1 HR. THE TFC WAS MODERATE TO HVY AT TIMES. TFC WAS BEING REROUTED THROUGH MY AIRSPACE DUE TO WX. WE HAD OPPOSITE DIRECTION CLBING AND DSNDING TFC TAKING PLACE INTO ACFT THAT ARE ALSO DEVIATING IN MY AIRSPACE. WHEN ACFT X WAS HANDED OFF TO MY SECTOR, ACFT Y WAS ON A WX DEV HDG APPROX 090 DEGS WHEN ACFT #1 WAS CLBED OPPOSITE DIRECTION HDG 290 DEGS WITH ABOUT 7 MI LATERAL COURSES. ACFT Y WAS AT FL210 WHEN ACFT X WAS CLBED TO FL220. HE THEN REQUESTED FL200 AS A FINAL AND WAS ISSUED THAT. ACFT Y THEN APPEARED TO DSND AND TURN TO THE S. ACFT X WAS STOPPED AT FL190. I CALLED RADAR SECTOR 27 AND INFORMED THEM TO AMEND ACFT Y TO FL200. I THEN CALLED ACFT #1 AND ISSUED A HDG OF 250 DEGS. THE PLT SAID HE COULD NOT TURN DUE TO WX. I THEN DSNDED HIM TO 17000 FT AT WHICH POINT THE ERROR OCCURRED A FEW SECONDS LATER. THIS SECTOR IS ONLY 40 MI WIDE WITH 2 JET RTES THROUGH IT. IT IS CONSTANTLY BUSY WITH VOLUME AND SEVERAL IN TRAIL RESTRS THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO ADHERE TO. TFC MGMNT CONTINUES TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY WHEN THIS SECTOR NEEDS HELP. OALTS ARE 14 FOR SECTOR. THE COMPUTER SHOWS 16.

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.