Mem ATCT controller experienced departure aircraft conflict.

Attributes
ACN	579652
Time
Date	200304
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mem.tower
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Talon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : instrument
Experience	controller radar : 13 controller time certified in position1 : 2 controller time certified in position2 : 3 flight time total : 750
ASRS Report	579652
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

I cleared a T38 for takeoff on runway 36C. A small helicopter was maneuvering about 4 mi off the departure end of the runway at 1500 ft MSL (approximately 1200 ft AGL). The T38 made a shallower than expected climb and passed just west of and above the helicopter. Because numerous preceding jet and propeller aircraft had climbed well above the helicopter, I determined that the 2 aircraft would not be a factor for each other. The problem was compounded by the fact that the T38 had been told to switch to departure control frequency in conjunction with its takeoff clearance per FAA orders. The T38 made a comment about the traffic which surprised the departure controller as well. Although the helicopter was on tower frequency and visual separation was maintained at all times, this situation was a good example of the fallacies of reliance on expected performance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM ATCT CTLR EXPERIENCED DEP ACFT CONFLICT.

Narrative: I CLRED A T38 FOR TKOF ON RWY 36C. A SMALL HELI WAS MANEUVERING ABOUT 4 MI OFF THE DEP END OF THE RWY AT 1500 FT MSL (APPROX 1200 FT AGL). THE T38 MADE A SHALLOWER THAN EXPECTED CLB AND PASSED JUST W OF AND ABOVE THE HELI. BECAUSE NUMEROUS PRECEDING JET AND PROP ACFT HAD CLBED WELL ABOVE THE HELI, I DETERMINED THAT THE 2 ACFT WOULD NOT BE A FACTOR FOR EACH OTHER. THE PROB WAS COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT THE T38 HAD BEEN TOLD TO SWITCH TO DEP CTL FREQ IN CONJUNCTION WITH ITS TKOF CLRNC PER FAA ORDERS. THE T38 MADE A COMMENT ABOUT THE TFC WHICH SURPRISED THE DEP CTLR AS WELL. ALTHOUGH THE HELI WAS ON TWR FREQ AND VISUAL SEPARATION WAS MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES, THIS SIT WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE FALLACIES OF RELIANCE ON EXPECTED PERFORMANCE.

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.