Narrative:

Cou tower, a contract tower, requested an IFR release off runway 20 for air carrier X. I (working mizzu approach) issued a restr for air carrier X to maintain 3000 ft, on course, released. The cou contract controller acknowledged the restr. Air carrier X departed and advised me that he was climbing through 1500 ft (did not restate altitude assigned). I advised him that he was radar contact and reiterated for him to maintain 3000 ft for traffic directly overhead at 3500 ft (aircraft Y). I told him to expect higher passing this traffic. He replied that he'd maintain 3000 ft and that he had the traffic 'on radar.' once the targets passed, I climbed air carrier X and handed off then switched his frequency to ZKC. Apparently when air carrier X arrived at mdw, he filed a near miss report. A review of the tapes by sgf management officials verified that I issued and reiterated the 3000 ft restr. A review of cou's tapes apparently indicate that the cou contract employee issued an initial altitude of 5000 ft. Had air carrier X climbed above 3000 ft as instructed by the cou contract employee, a disaster may have occurred. Contract towers employ unqualified controllers. They are not adequately trained, monitored, or regulated. Yet the FAA insists they are safe and continues plans to contract out even more facilities. Will it take a major disaster to stop this irresponsible contracting out of towers?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: D328 ISSUED INCORRECT COORD DEP ALT ISSUED TO COU TWR FROM SGF APCH CTL. SGF CTLR CONCERNED WITH COU TWR TRAINING.

Narrative: COU TWR, A CONTRACT TWR, REQUESTED AN IFR RELEASE OFF RWY 20 FOR ACR X. I (WORKING MIZZU APCH) ISSUED A RESTR FOR ACR X TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT, ON COURSE, RELEASED. THE COU CONTRACT CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED THE RESTR. ACR X DEPARTED AND ADVISED ME THAT HE WAS CLBING THROUGH 1500 FT (DID NOT RESTATE ALT ASSIGNED). I ADVISED HIM THAT HE WAS RADAR CONTACT AND REITERATED FOR HIM TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT FOR TFC DIRECTLY OVERHEAD AT 3500 FT (ACFT Y). I TOLD HIM TO EXPECT HIGHER PASSING THIS TFC. HE REPLIED THAT HE'D MAINTAIN 3000 FT AND THAT HE HAD THE TFC 'ON RADAR.' ONCE THE TARGETS PASSED, I CLBED ACR X AND HANDED OFF THEN SWITCHED HIS FREQ TO ZKC. APPARENTLY WHEN ACR X ARRIVED AT MDW, HE FILED A NEAR MISS RPT. A REVIEW OF THE TAPES BY SGF MGMNT OFFICIALS VERIFIED THAT I ISSUED AND REITERATED THE 3000 FT RESTR. A REVIEW OF COU'S TAPES APPARENTLY INDICATE THAT THE COU CONTRACT EMPLOYEE ISSUED AN INITIAL ALT OF 5000 FT. HAD ACR X CLBED ABOVE 3000 FT AS INSTRUCTED BY THE COU CONTRACT EMPLOYEE, A DISASTER MAY HAVE OCCURRED. CONTRACT TWRS EMPLOY UNQUALIFIED CTLRS. THEY ARE NOT ADEQUATELY TRAINED, MONITORED, OR REGULATED. YET THE FAA INSISTS THEY ARE SAFE AND CONTINUES PLANS TO CONTRACT OUT EVEN MORE FACILITIES. WILL IT TAKE A MAJOR DISASTER TO STOP THIS IRRESPONSIBLE CONTRACTING OUT OF TWRS?

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.