San jose tower controller reported misapplying new wake recategorization rules and having a loss of ...

Attributes
ACN	1365432
Time
Date	201606
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	SJC.Airport
State Reference	CA
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-24 Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Takeoff
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	B787 Dreamliner Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Takeoff
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Supervisor / CIC Local
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 4
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Narrative:

Misapplication of the new wake recat rules. The PA24 departed RWY30L/D approximately the same time the B787 departed RWY30R/A1. I believed that it was correct to depart the PA24 from RWY30L/D if the PA24 were to make an immediate turn away from the simultaneous departing B787 from the parallel runway; from full length; under the new wake recat rules. The PA24 departed RWY30L/D and made the immediate left turn away from the B787 as instructed. The PA24 was airborne and had turned away from the departing B787 before the rotation point of the B787. A coworker who was training another developmental on ground notified me of my misapplication of the new rules. I was also working the controller in charge position; and I had just relieved another controller from the local position who had exceeded two hours on position.a contributing factor to this occurrence is the chronic understaffing of our facility. If I were not required to work controller in charge on local; the controller in charge might have pointed this mistake out to me as it were about to occur. Instead; I was working controller in charge from the local position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: San Jose Tower Controller reported misapplying new wake recategorization rules and having a loss of separation. Reporter stated staffing issues and having to work local combined with Controller in Charge duties contributed to the event.

Narrative: Misapplication of the new wake recat rules. The PA24 departed RWY30L/D approximately the same time the B787 departed RWY30R/A1. I believed that it was correct to depart the PA24 from RWY30L/D if the PA24 were to make an immediate turn away from the simultaneous departing B787 from the parallel runway; from full length; under the new wake recat rules. The PA24 departed RWY30L/D and made the immediate left turn away from the B787 as instructed. The PA24 was airborne and had turned away from the departing B787 before the rotation point of the B787. A coworker who was training another developmental on ground notified me of my misapplication of the new rules. I was also working the CIC position; and I had just relieved another controller from the local position who had exceeded two hours on position.A contributing factor to this occurrence is the chronic understaffing of our facility. If I were not required to work CIC on local; the CIC might have pointed this mistake out to me as it were about to occur. Instead; I was working CIC from the local position.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

San jose tower controller reported misapplying new wake recategorization rules and having a loss of separation. Reporter stated staffing issues and having to work local combined with controller in charge duties contributed to the event.