Narrative:

This event occurred while I was working the CI1 (departure coordinator) position at socal TRACON, los angeles area. I approved a point-out on a BE30 who was cleared for a visual approach to runway 3 at smo. The aircraft was being worked by the valley sector. When I approved the point-out the BE30 was about 15 mi north of smo. The TB20 was wbound over smo climbing out of 2000 ft for 5000 ft. As the BE30 entered los angeles area airspace near bevey, I observed the target turn left to enter a direct right downwind for runway 3. At this point TB20 was 3 mi northwest of smo heading 020 degrees out of 3000 ft for 5000 ft. The BE30 was 5 mi northeast of smo descending out of 4500 ft. Everything looks normal. Shortly thereafter I observe the BE30 turn right to setup for a left downwind to runway 3. The course was converging with the TB20. I immediately called smo tower and told them to turn the BE30 left now. As I was on the line to the tower the radar controller issued traffic to the TB20, '...2 O'clock 4 mi.' quickly separation was 2 mi and 800 ft. I reported the incident to my supervisor. He listened to the voice tape, heard '...2 O'clock 4 mi' and determined there to be no loss of separation. A cdr was not done. Another operational error covered up at socal TRACON.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LAX TRACON COORD CTLR APPROVED A POINT-OUT OF A BE30 ON VISUAL APCH TO SMO ARPT FROM THE N. COORDINATOR OBSERVED BE30 CONFLICT WITH AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TB20. COORDINATOR CALLED SMO TWR TO RESOLVE CONFLICT. SUPVR INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THERE WAS NO LOSS OF SEPARATION. RPTR BELIEVES MGMNT IS COVERING UP ERRORS.

Narrative: THIS EVENT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS WORKING THE CI1 (DEP COORDINATOR) POS AT SOCAL TRACON, LOS ANGELES AREA. I APPROVED A POINT-OUT ON A BE30 WHO WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 3 AT SMO. THE ACFT WAS BEING WORKED BY THE VALLEY SECTOR. WHEN I APPROVED THE POINT-OUT THE BE30 WAS ABOUT 15 MI N OF SMO. THE TB20 WAS WBOUND OVER SMO CLBING OUT OF 2000 FT FOR 5000 FT. AS THE BE30 ENTERED LOS ANGELES AREA AIRSPACE NEAR BEVEY, I OBSERVED THE TARGET TURN L TO ENTER A DIRECT R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 3. AT THIS POINT TB20 WAS 3 MI NW OF SMO HDG 020 DEGS OUT OF 3000 FT FOR 5000 FT. THE BE30 WAS 5 MI NE OF SMO DSNDING OUT OF 4500 FT. EVERYTHING LOOKS NORMAL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I OBSERVE THE BE30 TURN R TO SETUP FOR A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 3. THE COURSE WAS CONVERGING WITH THE TB20. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED SMO TWR AND TOLD THEM TO TURN THE BE30 L NOW. AS I WAS ON THE LINE TO THE TWR THE RADAR CTLR ISSUED TFC TO THE TB20, '...2 O'CLOCK 4 MI.' QUICKLY SEPARATION WAS 2 MI AND 800 FT. I RPTED THE INCIDENT TO MY SUPVR. HE LISTENED TO THE VOICE TAPE, HEARD '...2 O'CLOCK 4 MI' AND DETERMINED THERE TO BE NO LOSS OF SEPARATION. A CDR WAS NOT DONE. ANOTHER OPERROR COVERED UP AT SOCAL TRACON.

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.