Air carrier overtook a previous departing aircraft, resulting in less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	121923
Time
Date	198909
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3600 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit tower : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	121923
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Initial sep on successive departures not provided by the local controller. Traffic departing runway 14, with propellers issued 4000' MSL and turbo jets issued 5000' MSL by clearance delivery. The local controller inadvertently left a northbound air carrier X on a 90 degree heading (local control has the use of 360 degrees clockwise to 180 degrees for departure headings).. The next departure was air carrier Y, who was issued a 360 degree heading (left turn) at a point 1.5 mi from the departure end of the runway. As a departure north controller, I can only turn my east, north and wbound departures to the left. My initial transmission to air carrier X was, 'acid, pit departure, radar contact,' as I was fairly busy. My initial transmission to air carrier Y was 'radar contact climb and maintain 14000'.' at a point approximately 3-4 mi east of the airport, I noticed air carrier X was still eastbound at 4000' MSL with air carrier Y northbound on an intercept heading leaving 3600' MSL. At this point, I turned air carrier X left to 320 degrees and had air carrier Y expedite through 5000' MSL. Latitude sep decreased to less than 2 mi before air carrier Y was out of 5000' MSL. This situation occurred because initial departure sep was not provided by the local controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR OVERTOOK A PREVIOUS DEPARTING ACFT, RESULTING IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: INITIAL SEP ON SUCCESSIVE DEPS NOT PROVIDED BY THE LCL CTLR. TFC DEPARTING RWY 14, WITH PROPS ISSUED 4000' MSL AND TURBO JETS ISSUED 5000' MSL BY CLRNC DELIVERY. THE LCL CTLR INADVERTENTLY LEFT A NBOUND ACR X ON A 90 DEG HDG (LCL CTL HAS THE USE OF 360 DEGS CLOCKWISE TO 180 DEGS FOR DEP HDGS).. THE NEXT DEP WAS ACR Y, WHO WAS ISSUED A 360 DEG HDG (LEFT TURN) AT A POINT 1.5 MI FROM THE DEP END OF THE RWY. AS A DEP N CTLR, I CAN ONLY TURN MY E, N AND WBOUND DEPS TO THE LEFT. MY INITIAL XMISSION TO ACR X WAS, 'ACID, PIT DEP, RADAR CONTACT,' AS I WAS FAIRLY BUSY. MY INITIAL XMISSION TO ACR Y WAS 'RADAR CONTACT CLB AND MAINTAIN 14000'.' AT A POINT APPROX 3-4 MI E OF THE ARPT, I NOTICED ACR X WAS STILL EBND AT 4000' MSL WITH ACR Y NBOUND ON AN INTERCEPT HDG LEAVING 3600' MSL. AT THIS POINT, I TURNED ACR X LEFT TO 320 DEGS AND HAD ACR Y EXPEDITE THROUGH 5000' MSL. LAT SEP DECREASED TO LESS THAN 2 MI BEFORE ACR Y WAS OUT OF 5000' MSL. THIS SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE INITIAL DEP SEP WAS NOT PROVIDED BY THE LCL CTLR.

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.