Narrative:

Tower cleared gulf behind DA20, routing on sids is same for 20 mi after takeoff, both aircraft assigned 8000 ft, no speed restr. Departure controller distracted -- gulf would not 'tag up,' computer would not accept an 'ARTS force' and flight plan showed time in computer had expired. Second aircraft was rapidly overtaking preceding aircraft and climbing into same altitude. Departure controller stopped gulf at 7000 ft and established visual separation. This facility had a similar operational error 1 week ago. The departure controller needs to know when tower is applying visual separation, and tower controllers need training on how to apply visual separation. Overtakes are not uncommon. I believe that the new 'ICAO identifiers' contributed to the lack of separation since the valuable performance information (ie, G2, G5, etc) was stripped off the aircraft type. A ucr was previously filed on this problem. FAA headquarters determined that it was not a problem.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT LCL CTLR RELEASED A FASTER GULF TOO CLOSE BEHIND THE PRECEDING DA20 AND WITHOUT ANY SPD RESTR ON THE GULF. LCL CTLR WAS APPLYING VISUAL SEPARATION. THE DEP CTLR HAD TO STOP THE GULF AT A LOWER ALT AND ALSO APPLY VISUAL SEPARATION TO PREVENT LTSS FROM OCCURRING.

Narrative: TWR CLRED GULF BEHIND DA20, ROUTING ON SIDS IS SAME FOR 20 MI AFTER TKOF, BOTH ACFT ASSIGNED 8000 FT, NO SPD RESTR. DEP CTLR DISTRACTED -- GULF WOULD NOT 'TAG UP,' COMPUTER WOULD NOT ACCEPT AN 'ARTS FORCE' AND FLT PLAN SHOWED TIME IN COMPUTER HAD EXPIRED. SECOND ACFT WAS RAPIDLY OVERTAKING PRECEDING ACFT AND CLBING INTO SAME ALT. DEP CTLR STOPPED GULF AT 7000 FT AND ESTABLISHED VISUAL SEPARATION. THIS FACILITY HAD A SIMILAR OPERROR 1 WK AGO. THE DEP CTLR NEEDS TO KNOW WHEN TWR IS APPLYING VISUAL SEPARATION, AND TWR CTLRS NEED TRAINING ON HOW TO APPLY VISUAL SEPARATION. OVERTAKES ARE NOT UNCOMMON. I BELIEVE THAT THE NEW 'ICAO IDENTIFIERS' CONTRIBUTED TO THE LACK OF SEPARATION SINCE THE VALUABLE PERFORMANCE INFO (IE, G2, G5, ETC) WAS STRIPPED OFF THE ACFT TYPE. A UCR WAS PREVIOUSLY FILED ON THIS PROB. FAA HEADQUARTERS DETERMINED THAT IT WAS NOT A PROB.

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.