Tower controller described a conflict event when an IFR departure turned unexpectedly back toward an...

Attributes
ACN	1061253
Time
Date	201301
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Flight Phase	Initial Climb
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	PA-31 Navajo/Chieftan/Mojave/T1040
Flight Phase	Takeoff
Person 1
Function	Local
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Track / Heading All Types Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence

Narrative:

Bonanza 35 departed runway 06 on an IFR clearance to ZZZ1. The weather was solid IFR. After the BE35 was switched to departure; and about 1.5 miles off the departure end of the runway; I departed a PA31 off runway 06. For some reason; the BE35 made a course reversal and headed directly towards the PA31. I gave the PA31 a 020 heading followed by a 330 heading to keep him away from the BE35. Apparently the BE35 had some vertigo; on top of some vibrations from his airplane which caused the abrupt; unauthorized turn. This was a situation that I treated like an emergency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Tower Controller described a conflict event when an IFR departure turned unexpectedly back toward another IFR departure; the reporter issuing an immediate turn to the second departure.

Narrative: Bonanza 35 departed Runway 06 on an IFR clearance to ZZZ1. The weather was solid IFR. After The BE35 was switched to Departure; and about 1.5 miles off the departure end of the runway; I departed a PA31 off Runway 06. For some reason; the BE35 made a course reversal and headed directly towards the PA31. I gave the PA31 a 020 heading followed by a 330 heading to keep him away from the BE35. Apparently the BE35 had some vertigo; on top of some vibrations from his airplane which caused the abrupt; unauthorized turn. This was a situation that I treated like an emergency.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

Tower controller described a conflict event when an IFR departure turned unexpectedly back toward another IFR departure; the reporter issuing an immediate turn to the second departure.