Narrative:

Swf section ZBW shut off by ny TRACON with 4 aircraft going to ewr intrail at 7000'. Aircraft issued hold and had been holding for 5 mins. First aircraft issued 220 degree heading and handed off to approach control. Approximately 1 1/2 mins later aircraft X is still northbound and getting with other aircraft Y holding to his north at 7000'. Better flow control and advance warning by approach could have avoided this dangerous situation which happens on a daily basis. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter gave rough positions for the 4 aircraft mentioned and also told me about other aircraft in his sector including 2 jet aircraft southbound on V213 at 8000' and other aircraft which were factors in incident. He explained the airspace delegation in that area. N90 on daily basis requests 15 mi in trail for the non jet aircraft on V489, and reporter did have 15 mi in trail when N90 shut the door on him. He put all 4 aircraft into 360 degree turns to hold in place until he could issue holding instructions. N90 then accepted aircraft X on 220 degree heading and the aircraft was changed to N90 frequency. Then aircraft X went back northbound. N90 is claiming no operational error since they had required 3 mi latitude sep. Adep and C/a activated in ZBW. Sector had 2 persons at time, but ZBW is working a lot of 1-M sectors. Says that sometimes N90 shuts off traffic so that controller can take a break. Not enough controllers in N90.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 IFR ACFT UNDER SEPARATE ATC JURISDICTION. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: SWF SECTION ZBW SHUT OFF BY NY TRACON WITH 4 ACFT GOING TO EWR INTRAIL AT 7000'. ACFT ISSUED HOLD AND HAD BEEN HOLDING FOR 5 MINS. FIRST ACFT ISSUED 220 DEG HDG AND HANDED OFF TO APCH CTL. APPROX 1 1/2 MINS LATER ACFT X IS STILL NBOUND AND GETTING WITH OTHER ACFT Y HOLDING TO HIS N AT 7000'. BETTER FLOW CTL AND ADVANCE WARNING BY APCH COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION WHICH HAPPENS ON A DAILY BASIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR GAVE ROUGH POSITIONS FOR THE 4 ACFT MENTIONED AND ALSO TOLD ME ABOUT OTHER ACFT IN HIS SECTOR INCLUDING 2 JET ACFT SBND ON V213 AT 8000' AND OTHER ACFT WHICH WERE FACTORS IN INCIDENT. HE EXPLAINED THE AIRSPACE DELEGATION IN THAT AREA. N90 ON DAILY BASIS REQUESTS 15 MI IN TRAIL FOR THE NON JET ACFT ON V489, AND RPTR DID HAVE 15 MI IN TRAIL WHEN N90 SHUT THE DOOR ON HIM. HE PUT ALL 4 ACFT INTO 360 DEG TURNS TO HOLD IN PLACE UNTIL HE COULD ISSUE HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. N90 THEN ACCEPTED ACFT X ON 220 DEG HDG AND THE ACFT WAS CHANGED TO N90 FREQ. THEN ACFT X WENT BACK NBND. N90 IS CLAIMING NO OPERROR SINCE THEY HAD REQUIRED 3 MI LAT SEP. ADEP AND C/A ACTIVATED IN ZBW. SECTOR HAD 2 PERSONS AT TIME, BUT ZBW IS WORKING A LOT OF 1-M SECTORS. SAYS THAT SOMETIMES N90 SHUTS OFF TFC SO THAT CTLR CAN TAKE A BREAK. NOT ENOUGH CTLRS IN N90.

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