OPERROR.

Narrative

I WAS WORKING THE LGA DEP POS. ACFT #1; A PA31/R; DEPARTING FRG; ISSUED CLB CLRNC TO 8000 FT BY JFK DEP. I WORKED THE ACFT CLBING OUT OF 5300 FT. I TURNED THE ACFT L; HDG 320 DEGS; AT APPROX XX58 LCL. ACR #2; AN MD80; DEPARTED LGA RWY 4. I SHOULD WORK THIS ACFT WITHIN 1 MI OF DEP. I MADE CONTACT WITH ACR #2; LEVEL AT 5000; APPROX 6-7 MI NE OF LGA VOR. I RADAR IDENTED ACFT AND CLBED TO 7000 FT AND TURNED L HDG 320 DEGS AT APPROX XX59 LCL. ACR #3; A 757/R; DEPARTED LGA RWY 4. I WORKED ACR #3 LEAVING 1300 FT; IDENTED; ISSUED CLB TO 4000 FT AND L TURN HDG 320 DEGS. TFC AT 5000 FT WAS XING; HDG ESE. WHEN ACR #3 WAS CLR OF THE 5000 FT TFC; I ISSUED CLB TO 7000 FT. AT SOME POINT I TURNED ACR #3 L; HDG 280 DEGS; THINKING THAT I HAD CLBED TO 15000 FT. I BECAME DISTRACTED BY COORD REGARDING THE 5000 FT TFC. I LOOKED AT SCOPE AND THEN STRIP TO CONFIRM WHAT I HAD DONE -- 7000 FT ISSUED TO BOTH ACFT. I ISSUED TFC AND CLB TO ACR #2. ACR #2 ADVISED HE HAD ACR #3 IN SIGHT. I THEN ISSUED TFC TO ACR #3. HE ALSO ADVISED HE HAD ACR #2 IN SIGHT. ACR #2 PASSED BEHIND ACR #3 AT 7900 FT; CLBING. AT SOME POINT A COMPUTER DUPE INDICATED THAT ACR #2 LEVELED AT 7000 FT AND 1 3/4 MI TO ACR #3'S L. AT THIS POINT ACR #3 WAS AT 6400 FT; CLBING. BOTH ACFT WERE EQUIPPED WITH TCASII (TA AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYS) AND THE COMPUTER SYS AT NEW YORK TRACON HAS A COLLISION AVOIDANCE ALARM. NO ALARM; NOR DID EITHER PLT ADVISE OF A RESOLUTION. 2 POSSIBLE CAUSES; OTHER THAN THE OBVIOUS -- THE TWR WAS LATE IN THEIR COM CHANGES; THIRD IN LESS THAN 10 MINS. THIS IRRITATED ME; AND HAD SET PLAN REGARDING ACR #2 TO CLB AND TURN ON CONTACT. I DID NOT ADJUST TO THE SIT. HAD HDOF PERSON; BUT I INVOLVED MYSELF IN SOMETHING HE COULD HAVE HANDLED; HENCE DISTRACTED!