Narrative:

I was working sbn radar combined R3/R4, vectoring air carrier X, inbound to sbn for the ILS 27 approach. Air carrier X was 8 east at 2500 ft. Issued heading 180 for a vector to the final approach course. Air carrier X approximately 3.5 north of localizer. I then noticed a non ARTS acquired target depart ekm, which is 14 mi east of sbn airport. The target was wbound observed climbing through 1600 ft when the ARTS acquired the data block on the target indicating the target to be IFR. Tag small transport Y observed through 2000 ft wbound. I asked ekm tower if they had departed any VFR traffic, '...affirmative...small transport Y wbound and will call you....' small transport Y departed ekm with an IFR clearance to VFR otp. FD at sbn issued the clearance to small transport Y thinking the aircraft was departing sbn airport. Ekm never knew small transport Y was IFR. Ekm WX was VFR at the time, when they departed small transport Y. Air carrier X and small transport Y in IFR WX passed with 1/2 mi of each other. Air carrier X and small transport Y were issued headings to avoid each other. Later, air carrier X reported he did have the target on TCASII and no other comment made by air carrier X, nor any by small transport Y. Air carrier X landed at sbn with no other comment. Small transport Y left the approach control area with no comment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT Y HAD LTSS FROM ACR X. SYS ERROR. SMT Y IMPROPER REQUEST FOR IFR CLRNC FAILED TO STATE ARPT OF DEP WHEN REQUESTING CLRNC TO OTP. PLTDEV.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING SBN RADAR COMBINED R3/R4, VECTORING ACR X, INBOUND TO SBN FOR THE ILS 27 APCH. ACR X WAS 8 E AT 2500 FT. ISSUED HDG 180 FOR A VECTOR TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE. ACR X APPROX 3.5 N OF LOC. I THEN NOTICED A NON ARTS ACQUIRED TARGET DEPART EKM, WHICH IS 14 MI E OF SBN ARPT. THE TARGET WAS WBOUND OBSERVED CLBING THROUGH 1600 FT WHEN THE ARTS ACQUIRED THE DATA BLOCK ON THE TARGET INDICATING THE TARGET TO BE IFR. TAG SMT Y OBSERVED THROUGH 2000 FT WBOUND. I ASKED EKM TWR IF THEY HAD DEPARTED ANY VFR TFC, '...AFFIRMATIVE...SMT Y WBOUND AND WILL CALL YOU....' SMT Y DEPARTED EKM WITH AN IFR CLRNC TO VFR OTP. FD AT SBN ISSUED THE CLRNC TO SMT Y THINKING THE ACFT WAS DEPARTING SBN ARPT. EKM NEVER KNEW SMT Y WAS IFR. EKM WX WAS VFR AT THE TIME, WHEN THEY DEPARTED SMT Y. ACR X AND SMT Y IN IFR WX PASSED WITH 1/2 MI OF EACH OTHER. ACR X AND SMT Y WERE ISSUED HDGS TO AVOID EACH OTHER. LATER, ACR X RPTED HE DID HAVE THE TARGET ON TCASII AND NO OTHER COMMENT MADE BY ACR X, NOR ANY BY SMT Y. ACR X LANDED AT SBN WITH NO OTHER COMMENT. SMT Y LEFT THE APCH CTL AREA WITH NO COMMENT.

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.