Narrative:

I was not the active controller during this event. I was working the local assist position with a developmental training on the local control position. There had already been several compression issues from sct on our final during this one hour session and the ceiling was low making it impossible to utilize tower applied visual separation. Aircraft Y was compressing heavily on aircraft X. Sct called us and asked if aircraft Y was on our frequency; and said that he had cancelled aircraft Y's approach clearance but that they for some reason were still descending on the approach and he no longer had him on frequency. The developmental on local control attempted to reach out to aircraft Y but they were not on our frequency so I called the east sector controller working our arrivals and said that we didn't have aircraft Y on frequency. By this time; aircraft X had landed and the local controller tried to hurry them off the runway because we didn't know if aircraft X was going to land if they were not in communication with us or sct. When aircraft Y was around 1 mile final the approach controller called us and said; 'he's coming to you.' aircraft Y called up inside of a 1 mile final and the development training on local cleared them to land. The controller in charge (controller in charge) then told the local controller in training to send aircraft Y around and he did.compression is a serious issue with sct san diego east controllers. Daily we are getting handed massive compression on final and then the east controller will call us frantically when separation is down usually below 3.1 miles asking if we can maintain visual separation. Most of the time this works because the weather is nice but on the days where the ceiling is low; they need to be utilizing speed control to eliminate the compression.also; in a situation like this; the east controller should have broken of aircraft Y again when they reestablished communication instead of switching them to tower so close the airport when they lost separation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SAN Tower Controller reported of a loss of separation attributed to Approach Control not spacing the two aircraft correctly. The Controller reported this was a serious problem and they were getting massive compression on final.

Narrative: I was not the active controller during this event. I was working the Local Assist Position with a Developmental training on the local control position. There had already been several compression issues from SCT on our final during this one hour session and the ceiling was low making it impossible to utilize tower applied visual separation. Aircraft Y was compressing heavily on Aircraft X. SCT called us and asked if Aircraft Y was on our frequency; and said that he had cancelled Aircraft Y's approach clearance but that they for some reason were still descending on the approach and he no longer had him on frequency. The Developmental on Local control attempted to reach out to Aircraft Y but they were not on our frequency so I called the East Sector controller working our arrivals and said that we didn't have Aircraft Y on frequency. By this time; Aircraft X had landed and the Local controller tried to hurry them off the runway because we didn't know if Aircraft X was going to land if they were not in communication with us or SCT. When Aircraft Y was around 1 mile final the approach controller called us and said; 'he's coming to you.' Aircraft Y called up inside of a 1 mile final and the Development training on Local cleared them to land. The Controller In Charge (CIC) then told the Local controller in training to send Aircraft Y around and he did.Compression is a serious issue with SCT San Diego East controllers. Daily we are getting handed massive compression on final and then the East Controller will call us frantically when separation is down usually below 3.1 miles asking if we can maintain visual separation. Most of the time this works because the weather is nice but on the days where the ceiling is low; they need to be utilizing speed control to eliminate the compression.Also; in a situation like this; the East Controller should have broken of Aircraft Y again when they reestablished communication instead of switching them to tower so close the airport when they lost separation.

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.