Narrative:

I was working a radar controller position. I had 4 fgt in my radar pattern, and in addition I was working inbound tanker Y approximately 20 flying miles from the airport when eil tower called for a release on X (opp direction departure). I issued through my handoff controller 'turn right heading 270 within 3 mi released.' the 4 fgt were in 2 separate flts of 2. Flight #1 requested flight split up and this was given west of eil AFB on a wide downwind. After releasing tanker X I intentionally vectored this pattern wide to give him enough room. When Y was being cleared for his approach (ILS) I observed the departure off of the runway and observed him in a right turn. My attention was then drawn to the 2 aircraft on base leg and to my flight #2 which needed a split up. When I returned to the departing aircraft I observed him approaching 2.8 mi off the departure end of the runway and closing fast with Y. I then issued an immediate turn to X and he replied that he was in the turn. I then had handoff controller break out aircraft Y (talking with eil rfc) to the north. The 2 aircraft passed within 200' vertical and between 1/2-1 mi. I was to later find out that my departure restrictions were not issued. Apparently my handoff controller only heard 'turn right heading 270.' additionally the aircraft was limited to no more than a 15 degree turn due to his weight. I also might add that when I gave Y his frequency change it was during the period when I was looking at X, who had already become airborne and turning. Since this incident I have put a lot of thought into what happened. I believe that my mistake was made in judgement, I should have kept Y until X was no longer a factor. I did at the time feel that adequate sep between these 2 aircraft was there and with X in his turn no conflict was possible. By the way the aircraft passed by each other at approximately 5-6 mi off the departure end of the runway. Supplemental information from acn 99139: I was working as assistant controller (handoff) position. Eil tower requested release for tanker X to departure opp direction runway 13 (31 was the active runway). Subsequent information has proven that a loaded tanker X type cannot turn until certain speed and altitude criteria are met. Moral: know the characteristics of the airplanes under your control. If you don't know, find out before wheeling and dealing!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 MIL TANKER ACFT. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING A RADAR CTLR POS. I HAD 4 FGT IN MY RADAR PATTERN, AND IN ADDITION I WAS WORKING INBND TANKER Y APPROX 20 FLYING MILES FROM THE ARPT WHEN EIL TWR CALLED FOR A RELEASE ON X (OPP DIRECTION DEP). I ISSUED THROUGH MY HDOF CTLR 'TURN RIGHT HDG 270 WITHIN 3 MI RELEASED.' THE 4 FGT WERE IN 2 SEPARATE FLTS OF 2. FLT #1 REQUESTED FLT SPLIT UP AND THIS WAS GIVEN W OF EIL AFB ON A WIDE DOWNWIND. AFTER RELEASING TANKER X I INTENTIONALLY VECTORED THIS PATTERN WIDE TO GIVE HIM ENOUGH ROOM. WHEN Y WAS BEING CLRED FOR HIS APCH (ILS) I OBSERVED THE DEP OFF OF THE RWY AND OBSERVED HIM IN A RIGHT TURN. MY ATTN WAS THEN DRAWN TO THE 2 ACFT ON BASE LEG AND TO MY FLT #2 WHICH NEEDED A SPLIT UP. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE DEPARTING ACFT I OBSERVED HIM APCHING 2.8 MI OFF THE DEP END OF THE RWY AND CLOSING FAST WITH Y. I THEN ISSUED AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO X AND HE REPLIED THAT HE WAS IN THE TURN. I THEN HAD HDOF CTLR BREAK OUT ACFT Y (TALKING WITH EIL RFC) TO THE N. THE 2 ACFT PASSED WITHIN 200' VERT AND BTWN 1/2-1 MI. I WAS TO LATER FIND OUT THAT MY DEP RESTRICTIONS WERE NOT ISSUED. APPARENTLY MY HDOF CTLR ONLY HEARD 'TURN RIGHT HDG 270.' ADDITIONALLY THE ACFT WAS LIMITED TO NO MORE THAN A 15 DEG TURN DUE TO HIS WT. I ALSO MIGHT ADD THAT WHEN I GAVE Y HIS FREQ CHANGE IT WAS DURING THE PERIOD WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT X, WHO HAD ALREADY BECOME AIRBORNE AND TURNING. SINCE THIS INCIDENT I HAVE PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO WHAT HAPPENED. I BELIEVE THAT MY MISTAKE WAS MADE IN JUDGEMENT, I SHOULD HAVE KEPT Y UNTIL X WAS NO LONGER A FACTOR. I DID AT THE TIME FEEL THAT ADEQUATE SEP BTWN THESE 2 ACFT WAS THERE AND WITH X IN HIS TURN NO CONFLICT WAS POSSIBLE. BY THE WAY THE ACFT PASSED BY EACH OTHER AT APPROX 5-6 MI OFF THE DEP END OF THE RWY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 99139: I WAS WORKING AS ASSISTANT CTLR (HDOF) POS. EIL TWR REQUESTED RELEASE FOR TANKER X TO DEP OPP DIRECTION RWY 13 (31 WAS THE ACTIVE RWY). SUBSEQUENT INFO HAS PROVEN THAT A LOADED TANKER X TYPE CANNOT TURN UNTIL CERTAIN SPD AND ALT CRITERIA ARE MET. MORAL: KNOW THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AIRPLANES UNDER YOUR CTL. IF YOU DON'T KNOW, FIND OUT BEFORE WHEELING AND DEALING!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.