ZNY controller improperly assigned 2 aircraft 'visual' separation clrncs.

Attributes
ACN	487363
Time
Date	200010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 125
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 9 controller radar : 9 controller time certified in position1 : 1
ASRS Report	487363
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Pilot accepted visual separation clearance. After standard minimum separation was lost other pilot said he was unable to continue with instructions. Later, the pilot that accepted the visual separation clearance said he was just about to advise he couldn't maintain visual separation when the other pilot complained.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZNY CTLR IMPROPERLY ASSIGNED 2 ACFT 'VISUAL' SEPARATION CLRNCS.

Narrative: PLT ACCEPTED VISUAL SEPARATION CLRNC. AFTER STANDARD MINIMUM SEPARATION WAS LOST OTHER PLT SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE WITH INSTRUCTIONS. LATER, THE PLT THAT ACCEPTED THE VISUAL SEPARATION CLRNC SAID HE WAS JUST ABOUT TO ADVISE HE COULDN'T MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WHEN THE OTHER PLT COMPLAINED.

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.