Narrative:

I work at san juan cerap in the approach side and we provide service to tortola tower which is an ICAO tower. The procedures between our facilities is non-radar; which means that no aircraft would land or depart until tortola indicates that the first aircraft has landed. One in; one out rule basically; unless the second pilot sees the first aircraft. Tortola calls me asking if we had a flight plan for aircraft X. I indicated yes. I did not release aircraft X because I had 2 inbounds. First was aircraft Y estimating at XA26Z coming from the east. Second was aircraft Z estimating XB34Z; coming from the south; out of st croix both coordination with tortola. Aircraft Y sees the airport and is cleared for the visual approach and is switched to the tower. Aircraft Z sees aircraft Y and is instructed to follow and cleared for the visual approach. I called tortola and told him that aircraft Z is following the aircraft Y. Tortola says roger; the aircraft X is no factor and show him on the ground. When he hangs up; an aircraft X called me; departing out tortola squawking XXXX. I ask him if he departed VFR; he says negative; IFR. I told aircraft X to squawk YYYY; which is indicated in his strip. I called tortola and told him that I don't recall releasing aircraft X; he says that he was informed that aircraft X was released. I consider that the problem was the phone line. We are not using direct lines; we are using commercial lines; which can be busy; OTS; and the tones are low. Our direct lines have been OTS for almost 1 yr. When we call them and when they call us; the volume is so low that you cannot understand the information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZSU CTLR EXPERIENCED APPARENT LOSS OF SEPARATION WHEN RELEASE COORD EFFORTS FAILED WITH NON RADAR FOREIGN TWR CTLR.

Narrative: I WORK AT SAN JUAN CERAP IN THE APCH SIDE AND WE PROVIDE SVC TO TORTOLA TWR WHICH IS AN ICAO TWR. THE PROCS BTWN OUR FACILITIES IS NON-RADAR; WHICH MEANS THAT NO ACFT WOULD LAND OR DEPART UNTIL TORTOLA INDICATES THAT THE FIRST ACFT HAS LANDED. ONE IN; ONE OUT RULE BASICALLY; UNLESS THE SECOND PLT SEES THE FIRST ACFT. TORTOLA CALLS ME ASKING IF WE HAD A FLT PLAN FOR ACFT X. I INDICATED YES. I DID NOT RELEASE ACFT X BECAUSE I HAD 2 INBOUNDS. FIRST WAS ACFT Y ESTIMATING AT XA26Z COMING FROM THE E. SECOND WAS ACFT Z ESTIMATING XB34Z; COMING FROM THE S; OUT OF ST CROIX BOTH COORD WITH TORTOLA. ACFT Y SEES THE ARPT AND IS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH AND IS SWITCHED TO THE TWR. ACFT Z SEES ACFT Y AND IS INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW AND CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. I CALLED TORTOLA AND TOLD HIM THAT ACFT Z IS FOLLOWING THE ACFT Y. TORTOLA SAYS ROGER; THE ACFT X IS NO FACTOR AND SHOW HIM ON THE GND. WHEN HE HANGS UP; AN ACFT X CALLED ME; DEPARTING OUT TORTOLA SQUAWKING XXXX. I ASK HIM IF HE DEPARTED VFR; HE SAYS NEGATIVE; IFR. I TOLD ACFT X TO SQUAWK YYYY; WHICH IS INDICATED IN HIS STRIP. I CALLED TORTOLA AND TOLD HIM THAT I DON'T RECALL RELEASING ACFT X; HE SAYS THAT HE WAS INFORMED THAT ACFT X WAS RELEASED. I CONSIDER THAT THE PROB WAS THE PHONE LINE. WE ARE NOT USING DIRECT LINES; WE ARE USING COMMERCIAL LINES; WHICH CAN BE BUSY; OTS; AND THE TONES ARE LOW. OUR DIRECT LINES HAVE BEEN OTS FOR ALMOST 1 YR. WHEN WE CALL THEM AND WHEN THEY CALL US; THE VOLUME IS SO LOW THAT YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE INFO.

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.