Narrative:

I was working the RA position of the hampton sector at ZBW; when I took note of the radar controller in charge of the sector had seen a possible conflict between aircraft X and aircraft Y. He turned one aircraft toward bos to open the distance between the aircraft as they passed. Soon after the action was taken; I went back to my other RA duties; posting new strips and updating the status information area for the sector. While I was doing these other duties; the 2 other aircraft passed each other with a little over 4 mi. From the RA position there was nothing I could do to save the aircraft from passing with less than 5 mi. I knew the radar controller was aware of the situation and was confident he would monitor it to ensure separation as we all do hundreds of times each shift.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW ASSOCIATE CTLR WITNESSES OPERROR AT APPROX FL410 WHEN RADAR CTLR FAILED TO TURN CONFLICTING ACFT WITH ENOUGH ANGLE FOR SEPARATION.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE RA POS OF THE HAMPTON SECTOR AT ZBW; WHEN I TOOK NOTE OF THE RADAR CIC OF THE SECTOR HAD SEEN A POSSIBLE CONFLICT BTWN ACFT X AND ACFT Y. HE TURNED ONE ACFT TOWARD BOS TO OPEN THE DISTANCE BTWN THE ACFT AS THEY PASSED. SOON AFTER THE ACTION WAS TAKEN; I WENT BACK TO MY OTHER RA DUTIES; POSTING NEW STRIPS AND UPDATING THE STATUS INFO AREA FOR THE SECTOR. WHILE I WAS DOING THESE OTHER DUTIES; THE 2 OTHER ACFT PASSED EACH OTHER WITH A LITTLE OVER 4 MI. FROM THE RA POS THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO TO SAVE THE ACFT FROM PASSING WITH LESS THAN 5 MI. I KNEW THE RADAR CTLR WAS AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND WAS CONFIDENT HE WOULD MONITOR IT TO ENSURE SEPARATION AS WE ALL DO HUNDREDS OF TIMES EACH SHIFT.

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.