Narrative:

The problem was two aircraft, one IFR and one VFR, came very close to one another, which could be considered a near miss. I was working the approach control radar position combined with non radar as well. The WX was 16 sct M 23 ovc 7 F. The traffic had been very slow, so I was working 3 positions, east radar, west radar, and satellite (non radar). Both arrs and departures are being worked. There were thunderstorms in the area, and I was working 3 aircraft around those storms. What started the problem was an IFR aircraft inbound to roanoke advised that he had no approach plates for roanoke and needed the information. At this time the traffic was building to where I had about 9 or 10 aircraft. Throughout this whole scenario, I was giving this aircraft the complete approach information, while answering the landlines, working 2 aircraft non radar, 2 arrs on the approach, and vectoring 3 other aircraft around the thunderstorms. The tower had 2 departures, one VFR heading 055, and one IFR heading 070. The aircraft were an small aircraft and an small aircraft. The tower called the VFR 'off' first heading 055. There was much congestion on the frequency and the second aircraft departing called first. When the VFR (who was in front heading 055) called, I observed him making a right turn (we were departing runway 6). He then said 'I request a 360 degree turn to stay out of the clouds'. I told him unable, fly heading 150 degree. He was already southbound by the time I gave him a heading. The data blocks of both aircraft were overlapping, and since the IFR (2ND departure) called first, I assumed he was in front. Actually, when I realized the first aircraft was turning, he had crossed the path of the second aircraft. They were at nearly the same altitude, the IFR aircraft says he was in the clouds at 3100, which I believe the VFR aircraft was also. There was much confusion at the time which led me to believe I was turning the right aircraft when actually I was not. What also led to the confusion was another controller attempting to relieve me had the briefing button depressed and was talking and commenting the entire time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEP CTLR MISIDENTIFIED A VFR ACFT AND TURNED HIM INTO THE PATH OF AN IFR DEP. CONFLICT AIRBORNE LESS SEVERE. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: THE PROBLEM WAS TWO ACFT, ONE IFR AND ONE VFR, CAME VERY CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER, WHICH COULD BE CONSIDERED A NEAR MISS. I WAS WORKING THE APCH CTL RADAR POSITION COMBINED WITH NON RADAR AS WELL. THE WX WAS 16 SCT M 23 OVC 7 F. THE TFC HAD BEEN VERY SLOW, SO I WAS WORKING 3 POSITIONS, EAST RADAR, WEST RADAR, AND SATELLITE (NON RADAR). BOTH ARRS AND DEPS ARE BEING WORKED. THERE WERE TSTMS IN THE AREA, AND I WAS WORKING 3 ACFT AROUND THOSE STORMS. WHAT STARTED THE PROBLEM WAS AN IFR ACFT INBND TO ROANOKE ADVISED THAT HE HAD NO APCH PLATES FOR ROANOKE AND NEEDED THE INFO. AT THIS TIME THE TFC WAS BUILDING TO WHERE I HAD ABOUT 9 OR 10 ACFT. THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE SCENARIO, I WAS GIVING THIS ACFT THE COMPLETE APCH INFO, WHILE ANSWERING THE LANDLINES, WORKING 2 ACFT NON RADAR, 2 ARRS ON THE APCH, AND VECTORING 3 OTHER ACFT AROUND THE TSTMS. THE TWR HAD 2 DEPS, ONE VFR HDG 055, AND ONE IFR HDG 070. THE ACFT WERE AN SMA AND AN SMA. THE TWR CALLED THE VFR 'OFF' FIRST HDG 055. THERE WAS MUCH CONGESTION ON THE FREQ AND THE SECOND ACFT DEPARTING CALLED FIRST. WHEN THE VFR (WHO WAS IN FRONT HDG 055) CALLED, I OBSERVED HIM MAKING A RIGHT TURN (WE WERE DEPARTING RWY 6). HE THEN SAID 'I REQUEST A 360 DEG TURN TO STAY OUT OF THE CLOUDS'. I TOLD HIM UNABLE, FLY HDG 150 DEG. HE WAS ALREADY SBND BY THE TIME I GAVE HIM A HDG. THE DATA BLOCKS OF BOTH ACFT WERE OVERLAPPING, AND SINCE THE IFR (2ND DEP) CALLED FIRST, I ASSUMED HE WAS IN FRONT. ACTUALLY, WHEN I REALIZED THE FIRST ACFT WAS TURNING, HE HAD CROSSED THE PATH OF THE SECOND ACFT. THEY WERE AT NEARLY THE SAME ALT, THE IFR ACFT SAYS HE WAS IN THE CLOUDS AT 3100, WHICH I BELIEVE THE VFR ACFT WAS ALSO. THERE WAS MUCH CONFUSION AT THE TIME WHICH LED ME TO BELIEVE I WAS TURNING THE RIGHT ACFT WHEN ACTUALLY I WAS NOT. WHAT ALSO LED TO THE CONFUSION WAS ANOTHER CTLR ATTEMPTING TO RELIEVE ME HAD THE BRIEFING BUTTON DEPRESSED AND WAS TALKING AND COMMENTING THE ENTIRE TIME.

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.