Narrative:

Southwestern bos arrs deviated south of pvd VOR for WX. Cape approach had a 3 min departure restr placed on them 10-15 mins prior to event due to traffic. They launched several aircraft at similar times; 2 of which were going to pvd VOR climbing to 100 and requesting 160. 140 was placed in data block by radar controller on 2ND aircraft. Cape approach called and said 2ND aircraft was deviating to south they were looking for higher. I approved deviation to south (to keep out of way of bos arrs at 110) and climb to 140; as pre-planned. 2-3 mins later; 2ND aircraft has climbed out of 110 on same heading as initial (toward pvd); then slightly and slowly makes a wide turn to southwest (roughly a 270 degree heading). I called cape approach to get communications on 2ND aircraft and he had been switched to us already. Aircraft checked on; radar controller tried to rectify situation; but conflict alert went off at that moment. There was an air carrier at 110 deviating south of pvd for WX about to make an approach into bos. Both aircraft were 4.31 mi (2ND aircraft was in a radar range gap when conflict alert went off; between qea radar and radar over pvd) and 600 ft vertical. 1) instead of using deviations using north; west; south; and east -- too vague. Use more precise phraseology; such as headings; etc. Deviations to the south depending on how a sector is configured can be anywhere from 180 degrees to 245 degrees etc. (Initiated for training on radar associate sides.) 2) radar range sites -- that sector has 1 radar range site (3 mi range) located within it; and another that overlaps it with 3 different departure scenarios and 3 different approach/tracons all typically heading for each other -- it's an accident waiting to happen.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW RADAR ASSOC DESCRIBED OPERROR AT 11000 FT; CLAIMING VAGUE DEV CLRNC CONTRIBUTED TO EVENT.

Narrative: SOUTHWESTERN BOS ARRS DEVIATED S OF PVD VOR FOR WX. CAPE APCH HAD A 3 MIN DEP RESTR PLACED ON THEM 10-15 MINS PRIOR TO EVENT DUE TO TFC. THEY LAUNCHED SEVERAL ACFT AT SIMILAR TIMES; 2 OF WHICH WERE GOING TO PVD VOR CLBING TO 100 AND REQUESTING 160. 140 WAS PLACED IN DATA BLOCK BY RADAR CTLR ON 2ND ACFT. CAPE APCH CALLED AND SAID 2ND ACFT WAS DEVIATING TO S THEY WERE LOOKING FOR HIGHER. I APPROVED DEV TO S (TO KEEP OUT OF WAY OF BOS ARRS AT 110) AND CLB TO 140; AS PRE-PLANNED. 2-3 MINS LATER; 2ND ACFT HAS CLBED OUT OF 110 ON SAME HDG AS INITIAL (TOWARD PVD); THEN SLIGHTLY AND SLOWLY MAKES A WIDE TURN TO SW (ROUGHLY A 270 DEG HDG). I CALLED CAPE APCH TO GET COMS ON 2ND ACFT AND HE HAD BEEN SWITCHED TO US ALREADY. ACFT CHKED ON; RADAR CTLR TRIED TO RECTIFY SITUATION; BUT CONFLICT ALERT WENT OFF AT THAT MOMENT. THERE WAS AN ACR AT 110 DEVIATING S OF PVD FOR WX ABOUT TO MAKE AN APCH INTO BOS. BOTH ACFT WERE 4.31 MI (2ND ACFT WAS IN A RADAR RANGE GAP WHEN CONFLICT ALERT WENT OFF; BTWN QEA RADAR AND RADAR OVER PVD) AND 600 FT VERT. 1) INSTEAD OF USING DEVS USING N; W; S; AND E -- TOO VAGUE. USE MORE PRECISE PHRASEOLOGY; SUCH AS HDGS; ETC. DEVS TO THE S DEPENDING ON HOW A SECTOR IS CONFIGURED CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM 180 DEGS TO 245 DEGS ETC. (INITIATED FOR TRAINING ON RADAR ASSOCIATE SIDES.) 2) RADAR RANGE SITES -- THAT SECTOR HAS 1 RADAR RANGE SITE (3 MI RANGE) LOCATED WITHIN IT; AND ANOTHER THAT OVERLAPS IT WITH 3 DIFFERENT DEP SCENARIOS AND 3 DIFFERENT APCH/TRACONS ALL TYPICALLY HDG FOR EACH OTHER -- IT'S AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.