Air carrier X had less than standard separation from air carrier Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	184039
Time
Date	199107
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : orf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 4
ASRS Report	184039
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Phf is a level ii VFR tower within the orf airspace system. Air carrier X was departing off of runway 20 at phf under an IFR release by orf departure. Air carrier Y was inbound from the southwest to runway 20. Orf released air carrier X on a heading of 250 to climb to 2000 ft. I cleared air carrier X for takeoff and air carrier Y called inbound from the southwest about 5 mi out. Air carrier X had just turned to a heading 250 and I questioned air carrier Y as to whether orf had assigned a left or right downwind for the visual approach. Reply was 'we were not assigned either'. I then assigned a left downwind and the 2 aircraft passed within 1 1/2 mi and 600 ft of one another. The air carrier X was already talking to orf and air carrier Y reported the departing air carrier X in sight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: PHF IS A LEVEL II VFR TWR WITHIN THE ORF AIRSPACE SYS. ACR X WAS DEPARTING OFF OF RWY 20 AT PHF UNDER AN IFR RELEASE BY ORF DEP. ACR Y WAS INBOUND FROM THE SW TO RWY 20. ORF RELEASED ACR X ON A HDG OF 250 TO CLB TO 2000 FT. I CLRED ACR X FOR TKOF AND ACR Y CALLED INBOUND FROM THE SW ABOUT 5 MI OUT. ACR X HAD JUST TURNED TO A HDG 250 AND I QUESTIONED ACR Y AS TO WHETHER ORF HAD ASSIGNED A L OR R DOWNWIND FOR THE VISUAL APCH. REPLY WAS 'WE WERE NOT ASSIGNED EITHER'. I THEN ASSIGNED A L DOWNWIND AND THE 2 ACFT PASSED WITHIN 1 1/2 MI AND 600 FT OF ONE ANOTHER. THE ACR X WAS ALREADY TALKING TO ORF AND ACR Y RPTED THE DEPARTING ACR X IN SIGHT.

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.