Narrative:

Aircraft had been making ILS approachs most of the evening and breaking out anywhere from 750' MSL to 1100' MSL. The WX was measured 600 broken 400 overcast, 6 fog, field elevation 74'. It was felt contact approachs could be made by an airport familiar pilot. When an small transport X asked for a contact approach from the radar controller, he had no reason to doubt it would work. The small transport X was 6 NM southwest of the airport on a right base for runway 11. An small transport Y training flight called ready for departure runway 11 and was cleared for takeoff. The departure was turned right away to the left heading 310 degrees, on a left downwind, by the radar controller and was climbing out of 1100' MSL. When the departure was small transport Y approximately 1 NM north of the airport, the arrival small transport X was approximately 1 NM southwest of the airport at 1000'. The small transport X called for a missed approach. The local controller had no choice but to climb the small transport X to 1800', or the MVA, then turn him to the right heading 110 degrees away from the small transport Y. The small transport X was within approximately 3000' and 1 1/4 NM at the most before the diverging courses rule could be used for sep. Controllers should take a closer look at the use of contact approachs and the procedures for a missed approach for such an approach. Also you should run your other traffic as to protect for a failed approach in such an instance, and not to turn downwinds so close to the approach corridor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ON A CONTACT APCH TO THE ARPT CAME CLOSE TO A DEPARTING ACFT WHILE EXECUTING A MISSED APCH.

Narrative: ACFT HAD BEEN MAKING ILS APCHS MOST OF THE EVENING AND BREAKING OUT ANYWHERE FROM 750' MSL TO 1100' MSL. THE WX WAS MEASURED 600 BROKEN 400 OVCST, 6 FOG, FIELD ELEVATION 74'. IT WAS FELT CONTACT APCHS COULD BE MADE BY AN ARPT FAMILIAR PLT. WHEN AN SMT X ASKED FOR A CONTACT APCH FROM THE RADAR CTLR, HE HAD NO REASON TO DOUBT IT WOULD WORK. THE SMT X WAS 6 NM SW OF THE ARPT ON A RIGHT BASE FOR RWY 11. AN SMT Y TRNING FLT CALLED READY FOR DEP RWY 11 AND WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. THE DEP WAS TURNED RIGHT AWAY TO THE LEFT HDG 310 DEGS, ON A LEFT DOWNWIND, BY THE RADAR CTLR AND WAS CLBING OUT OF 1100' MSL. WHEN THE DEP WAS SMT Y APPROX 1 NM N OF THE ARPT, THE ARR SMT X WAS APPROX 1 NM SW OF THE ARPT AT 1000'. THE SMT X CALLED FOR A MISSED APCH. THE LCL CTLR HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CLB THE SMT X TO 1800', OR THE MVA, THEN TURN HIM TO THE RIGHT HDG 110 DEGS AWAY FROM THE SMT Y. THE SMT X WAS WITHIN APPROX 3000' AND 1 1/4 NM AT THE MOST BEFORE THE DIVERGING COURSES RULE COULD BE USED FOR SEP. CTLRS SHOULD TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE USE OF CONTACT APCHS AND THE PROCS FOR A MISSED APCH FOR SUCH AN APCH. ALSO YOU SHOULD RUN YOUR OTHER TFC AS TO PROTECT FOR A FAILED APCH IN SUCH AN INSTANCE, AND NOT TO TURN DOWNWINDS SO CLOSE TO THE APCH CORRIDOR.

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