Narrative:

Northeast winds; MVFR lowering to IFR; ILS to runway 12L and runway 11; departing runway 12R. While working local control south (SL); I observed a heavy (B767) inbound on an ILS to runway 12L. When the heavy called inbound; it was indicating 150 kts ground speed. I issued the wind and cleared him to land on runway 12L. I subsequently was called by; and observed a (DC9) turning inbound on an ILS to runway 12L behind the B767 heavy; indicating 190 kts ground speed. The DC9 was approximately 5 NM behind the B767 heavy; with an overtake speed. On this initial contact; I instructed the DC9 to reduce to final approach speed now; for wake turbulence. The DC9 acknowledged; but did not immediately display any speed reduction. I took action by cancelling the DC9's approach clearance; issued a left turn to 100 degrees; and instructed him to climb and maintain 3;000 feet. I coordinated with arrival radar north (an) that the DC9 was 'coming out to the left'; and asked if he wanted the aircraft turned north (back into the arrival quadrant) or transferred to departure control north (dn). Arrival radar north instructed me to send the aircraft northeast (departure control airspace). I complied; issuing a subsequent turn to 070 degrees; and assigning departure north frequency to the DC9. When the flm (front line manager) coordinated with T75 tmc (traffic management controller) concerning the heading for the missed approach (DC9); the tmc responded that they were not aware the B767 was in fact a B767 heavy jet. I later learned that the tower qar for this event was forwarded to gateway TRACON (T75); where they declared that the arrival controller had committed an operational error (heavy jet wake turbulence). Recommendation; stl ATCT has often requested the TRACON to vector airline arrivals which park at terminal concourse a; to runway 11; when the airfield is in a southeast flow. This is done as a runway safety initiative (for a reduction in the number of large turbojet aircraft required to cross runway 12R); as well as improved efficiency and flow of surface traffic. Had this request been complied with in the case of DC9; wake turbulence would not have applied (4;100 ft between runway 12L and runway 11); and there would not have been a loss of separation when the two aircraft closed to less than 5 NM. I recommend T75 management re-brief the (tower-provided) list of airlines assigned to (west) concourse a. Increase the TRACON effort to ensure compliance with the repeated tower request to utilize runway 11 for these aircraft. Every concourse a aircraft that lands on runway 11 is afforded the opportunity to taxi directly to their gate without crossing the longest and busiest runway on the airfield (runway 12R). This decreases inbound taxi time; and significantly reduces the risk of a ground collision on runway 12R with a departing aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STL controller described break out event when heavy separation was compromised; alleging that if T75 controllers would comply with the tower's landing runway request this event would not have occurred.

Narrative: Northeast winds; MVFR lowering to IFR; ILS to Runway 12L and Runway 11; departing Runway 12R. While working Local Control South (SL); I observed a Heavy (B767) inbound on an ILS to Runway 12L. When the Heavy called inbound; it was indicating 150 kts ground speed. I issued the wind and cleared him to land on Runway 12L. I subsequently was called by; and observed a (DC9) turning inbound on an ILS to Runway 12L behind the B767 Heavy; indicating 190 kts ground speed. The DC9 was approximately 5 NM behind the B767 Heavy; with an overtake speed. On this initial contact; I instructed the DC9 to reduce to final approach speed NOW; for Wake Turbulence. The DC9 acknowledged; but did not immediately display any speed reduction. I took action by cancelling the DC9's approach clearance; issued a left turn to 100 degrees; and instructed him to climb and maintain 3;000 feet. I coordinated with Arrival RADAR North (AN) that the DC9 was 'coming out to the left'; and asked if he wanted the aircraft turned north (back into the Arrival Quadrant) or transferred to Departure Control North (DN). Arrival RADAR North instructed me to send the aircraft northeast (Departure Control airspace). I complied; issuing a subsequent turn to 070 degrees; and assigning Departure North frequency to the DC9. When the FLM (Front Line Manager) coordinated with T75 TMC (Traffic Management Controller) concerning the heading for the missed approach (DC9); the TMC responded that they were not aware the B767 was in fact a B767 Heavy jet. I later learned that the Tower QAR for this event was forwarded to Gateway TRACON (T75); where they declared that the Arrival Controller had committed an Operational Error (Heavy Jet Wake Turbulence). Recommendation; STL ATCT has often requested the TRACON to vector airline arrivals which park at Terminal Concourse A; to Runway 11; when the airfield is in a Southeast flow. This is done as a Runway Safety initiative (for a reduction in the number of large turbojet aircraft required to cross Runway 12R); as well as improved efficiency and flow of surface traffic. Had this request been complied with in the case of DC9; Wake Turbulence would not have applied (4;100 ft between Runway 12L and Runway 11); and there would not have been a loss of separation when the two aircraft closed to less than 5 NM. I recommend T75 Management re-brief the (Tower-provided) list of airlines assigned to (west) Concourse A. Increase the TRACON effort to ensure compliance with the repeated Tower request to utilize Runway 11 for these aircraft. Every Concourse A aircraft that lands on Runway 11 is afforded the opportunity to taxi directly to their gate without crossing the longest and busiest runway on the airfield (Runway 12R). This decreases inbound taxi time; and significantly reduces the risk of a ground collision on Runway 12R with a departing aircraft.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.