Narrative:

Aircraft X wbound 38N/060W zibut at FL350. Aircraft Y sbound betny kjpec at FL350. 30 mi south of betny is on the radar scope edge. Both aircraft transverse atops; but atops does not probe inside of radar. The problem is that radar is limited 30 mi south of betny and you get a false sense of security thinking that atops is probing these aircraft. 3 different controllers had the ability to catch this error but no one is looking for a conflict in this spot between radar and atops. Fortunately I spotted the situation and descended the aircraft X to FL340; and separation was ensured. We all know it is an accident waiting to happen. It is an area that has limited radar.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZNY CTLR DESCRIBED INCIDENT WHEN CTLRS; RELYING ON ATOPS FOR WARNING NOTIFICATIONS; FAILED TO OBSERVE A NEAR SEPARATION LOSS.

Narrative: ACFT X WBOUND 38N/060W ZIBUT AT FL350. ACFT Y SBOUND BETNY KJPEC AT FL350. 30 MI S OF BETNY IS ON THE RADAR SCOPE EDGE. BOTH ACFT TRANSVERSE ATOPS; BUT ATOPS DOES NOT PROBE INSIDE OF RADAR. THE PROB IS THAT RADAR IS LIMITED 30 MI S OF BETNY AND YOU GET A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY THINKING THAT ATOPS IS PROBING THESE ACFT. 3 DIFFERENT CTLRS HAD THE ABILITY TO CATCH THIS ERROR BUT NO ONE IS LOOKING FOR A CONFLICT IN THIS SPOT BTWN RADAR AND ATOPS. FORTUNATELY I SPOTTED THE SITUATION AND DSNDED THE ACFT X TO FL340; AND SEPARATION WAS ENSURED. WE ALL KNOW IT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. IT IS AN AREA THAT HAS LIMITED RADAR.

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.