Narrative:

IFR aircraft departing mem are given the mem 7 departure. In this particular case; both aircraft received IFR clearance through the automated pre departure clearance system. Aircraft #1 should have been on departure frequency 124.65 and aircraft #2 on 124.15. Aircraft #1 departed runway 18R on an assigned heading from tower of 180 degrees and just ahead of aircraft #2; who departed runway 18L with an assigned heading of 160 degrees; 1 mi south of the mem VOR. Aircraft #1 called east departure (124.15) instead of west departure (124.65). Using the correct call sign for aircraft #1 while thinking I was talking to aircraft #2; I assigned aircraft #1 a heading of 110 degrees. This took aircraft #1 across the flight path of aircraft #2. When it was noticed that aircraft #1 had turned in front of aircraft #2; aircraft #2 was issued an eastbound turn for traffic avoidance. It was then that I realized aircraft #1 was with me instead of west departure. This frequency situation routinely comes up for aircraft departing with a south/southeast departure fix due to the confusing nature of trying to read the mem 7 departure SID. The SID is written for jet/propeller aircraft and frequency assignment is based on first fix. The discrepancy is for aircraft departing to fixes located southeast of memphis. Jet aircraft are assigned 124.65 and propeller/turboprop aircraft are assigned 124.15. Jet traffic routinely get confused and call on 124.15. Had aircraft #1 used the correct frequency; this situation would not have occurred. The only resolution I could see to this issue would be to create separate SID's for jet and propellers. Supplemental information from acn 676692: departed runway 18R at mem; checked in climbing 1500 ft for 5000 ft; runway heading. Was given a clearance to fly a 110 degree heading and climb to 16000 ft. I read back the clearance. On the 110 degree heading; we got a traffic alert and the controller gave the other aircraft a turn. I had accidentally put in the wrong frequency for departure; however; ATC referred to us and gave us instructions using our flight number. I believe that although he referred to us using our flight number; he thought we were the widebody transport taking off on runway 18L; and gave us their heading and altitude. It did cross my mind that it was unusual that we would ge a heading that would cut through the departure path for runway 18L; however; we had sat in position and hold while an aircraft from runway 18L flew across runway 18R's departure path; so I dismissed the thought. Obviously; the problem could have been avoided; had I put in the right departure frequency; or ever queried the controller of the heading he had assigned us. Fatigue may have been a factor; as it was the middle of the night and we had been working 3 nights.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT 2200 FT WHEN HE OR SHE FAILED TO RECOGNIZE DATA BLOCK INFO ON DEP ACFT FROM PARALLEL RWYS AND ISSUED A CONFLICTING TURN.

Narrative: IFR ACFT DEPARTING MEM ARE GIVEN THE MEM 7 DEP. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE; BOTH ACFT RECEIVED IFR CLRNC THROUGH THE AUTOMATED PDC SYS. ACFT #1 SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON DEP FREQ 124.65 AND ACFT #2 ON 124.15. ACFT #1 DEPARTED RWY 18R ON AN ASSIGNED HDG FROM TWR OF 180 DEGS AND JUST AHEAD OF ACFT #2; WHO DEPARTED RWY 18L WITH AN ASSIGNED HDG OF 160 DEGS; 1 MI S OF THE MEM VOR. ACFT #1 CALLED E DEP (124.15) INSTEAD OF W DEP (124.65). USING THE CORRECT CALL SIGN FOR ACFT #1 WHILE THINKING I WAS TALKING TO ACFT #2; I ASSIGNED ACFT #1 A HDG OF 110 DEGS. THIS TOOK ACFT #1 ACROSS THE FLT PATH OF ACFT #2. WHEN IT WAS NOTICED THAT ACFT #1 HAD TURNED IN FRONT OF ACFT #2; ACFT #2 WAS ISSUED AN EBOUND TURN FOR TFC AVOIDANCE. IT WAS THEN THAT I REALIZED ACFT #1 WAS WITH ME INSTEAD OF W DEP. THIS FREQ SIT ROUTINELY COMES UP FOR ACFT DEPARTING WITH A S/SE DEP FIX DUE TO THE CONFUSING NATURE OF TRYING TO READ THE MEM 7 DEP SID. THE SID IS WRITTEN FOR JET/PROP ACFT AND FREQ ASSIGNMENT IS BASED ON FIRST FIX. THE DISCREPANCY IS FOR ACFT DEPARTING TO FIXES LOCATED SE OF MEMPHIS. JET ACFT ARE ASSIGNED 124.65 AND PROP/TURBOPROP ACFT ARE ASSIGNED 124.15. JET TFC ROUTINELY GET CONFUSED AND CALL ON 124.15. HAD ACFT #1 USED THE CORRECT FREQ; THIS SIT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. THE ONLY RESOLUTION I COULD SEE TO THIS ISSUE WOULD BE TO CREATE SEPARATE SID'S FOR JET AND PROPS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 676692: DEPARTED RWY 18R AT MEM; CHKED IN CLBING 1500 FT FOR 5000 FT; RWY HDG. WAS GIVEN A CLRNC TO FLY A 110 DEG HDG AND CLB TO 16000 FT. I READ BACK THE CLRNC. ON THE 110 DEG HDG; WE GOT A TFC ALERT AND THE CTLR GAVE THE OTHER ACFT A TURN. I HAD ACCIDENTALLY PUT IN THE WRONG FREQ FOR DEP; HOWEVER; ATC REFERRED TO US AND GAVE US INSTRUCTIONS USING OUR FLT NUMBER. I BELIEVE THAT ALTHOUGH HE REFERRED TO US USING OUR FLT NUMBER; HE THOUGHT WE WERE THE WDB TAKING OFF ON RWY 18L; AND GAVE US THEIR HDG AND ALT. IT DID CROSS MY MIND THAT IT WAS UNUSUAL THAT WE WOULD GE A HDG THAT WOULD CUT THROUGH THE DEP PATH FOR RWY 18L; HOWEVER; WE HAD SAT IN POS AND HOLD WHILE AN ACFT FROM RWY 18L FLEW ACROSS RWY 18R'S DEP PATH; SO I DISMISSED THE THOUGHT. OBVIOUSLY; THE PROB COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED; HAD I PUT IN THE RIGHT DEP FREQ; OR EVER QUERIED THE CTLR OF THE HDG HE HAD ASSIGNED US. FATIGUE MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR; AS IT WAS THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND WE HAD BEEN WORKING 3 NIGHTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.