Atx X had less than standard separation from small aircraft Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	245373
Time
Date	199306
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw tower : dal
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 8 controller radar : 18
ASRS Report	245373
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

I was working the TRACON all position combined. The center interfacility computer function was down. We could not make automatic handoffs and the towers sometimes did not get all the flight plans they need. Atx X departed dal on a tower assigned heading and I climbed to 3000 ft. I later climbed him to 4000 ft. In the data tag there was an X to the right of the aircraft type to tell me he was on a TCA code. I vectored atx X on course. I climbed him to 4500 ft because of the TCA code, which made me think he was VFR. I took a handoff from ZFW on an IFR small aircraft Y descending to 5000 ft. Small aircraft Y passed over atx X and the conflict alert went off. Previously I exchanged traffic between the 2 when they were 4 and 5 mi apart. They reported each other in sight. After handoff to the center, the center asked me was atx X IFR because the pilot said he thought he was IFR. I said I thought VFR. I called dal tower and asked the same question. The controller replied IFR. She assigned VFR beacon code.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX X HAD LTSS FROM SMA Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE TRACON ALL POS COMBINED. THE CTR INTERFAC COMPUTER FUNCTION WAS DOWN. WE COULD NOT MAKE AUTO HDOFS AND THE TWRS SOMETIMES DID NOT GET ALL THE FLT PLANS THEY NEED. ATX X DEPARTED DAL ON A TWR ASSIGNED HDG AND I CLBED TO 3000 FT. I LATER CLBED HIM TO 4000 FT. IN THE DATA TAG THERE WAS AN X TO THE R OF THE ACFT TYPE TO TELL ME HE WAS ON A TCA CODE. I VECTORED ATX X ON COURSE. I CLBED HIM TO 4500 FT BECAUSE OF THE TCA CODE, WHICH MADE ME THINK HE WAS VFR. I TOOK A HDOF FROM ZFW ON AN IFR SMA Y DSNDING TO 5000 FT. SMA Y PASSED OVER ATX X AND THE CONFLICT ALERT WENT OFF. PREVIOUSLY I EXCHANGED TFC BTWN THE 2 WHEN THEY WERE 4 AND 5 MI APART. THEY RPTED EACH OTHER IN SIGHT. AFTER HDOF TO THE CTR, THE CTR ASKED ME WAS ATX X IFR BECAUSE THE PLT SAID HE THOUGHT HE WAS IFR. I SAID I THOUGHT VFR. I CALLED DAL TWR AND ASKED THE SAME QUESTION. THE CTLR REPLIED IFR. SHE ASSIGNED VFR BEACON CODE.

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.