ATCT local controller complaint about spacing provided by approach control between arrival aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	252440
Time
Date	199309
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	252440
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I was working runway 14R at O'hare or I was taking the position and the first 2 aircraft, I believe were an large transport followed by an medium large transport. The separation had collapsed to less than 3 mi and the previous controller had taken no action, so to confirm that the aircraft were now in sight, I asked the following medium large transport if he had the airport or large transport ahead. When he said he did, I let him continue the approach because I had them in sight and applied visual separation. I informed the supervisors of the incident and that more spacing was necessary, but there was no action taken, and for the next 45 mins to an hour, I was compelled to work under these circumstances with numerous aircraft in limited visibility and ceiling.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT LCL CTLR COMPLAINT ABOUT SPACING PROVIDED BY APCH CTL BTWN ARR ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING RWY 14R AT O'HARE OR I WAS TAKING THE POS AND THE FIRST 2 ACFT, I BELIEVE WERE AN LGT FOLLOWED BY AN MLG. THE SEPARATION HAD COLLAPSED TO LESS THAN 3 MI AND THE PREVIOUS CTLR HAD TAKEN NO ACTION, SO TO CONFIRM THAT THE ACFT WERE NOW IN SIGHT, I ASKED THE FOLLOWING MLG IF HE HAD THE ARPT OR LGT AHEAD. WHEN HE SAID HE DID, I LET HIM CONTINUE THE APCH BECAUSE I HAD THEM IN SIGHT AND APPLIED VISUAL SEPARATION. I INFORMED THE SUPVRS OF THE INCIDENT AND THAT MORE SPACING WAS NECESSARY, BUT THERE WAS NO ACTION TAKEN, AND FOR THE NEXT 45 MINS TO AN HR, I WAS COMPELLED TO WORK UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WITH NUMEROUS ACFT IN LIMITED VISIBILITY AND CEILING.

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.