Air carrier X had less than standard separation from small aircraft Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	145802
Time
Date	199005
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aml
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : developmental
Experience	controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	145802
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

There were several aircraft airborne off of 2 different runways at iad. Several of these aircraft had to cross flight paths in order to be established on their route of flight. Accomplishing this and climbing expeditiously to avoid lower en route traffic caused air carrier X and small aircraft Y to get too close for acceptable sep. I took action immediately and turned the 2 aircraft away from each other. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. The reporter stated air carrier X and small aircraft Y both were on radar vectors. When he realized there was a conflict and standard sep would be lost he turned the small aircraft Y, and issued traffic to air carrier X. Air carrier X reported the small aircraft in sight (sep at that point was 2.5 mi and 800'). Reporter instructed air carrier X to maintain visibility from small aircraft Y. Sep reduced to .5 mi and 400'. ATCT saw the operation, and informed the TRACON supervisor who investigated. System error was filed and reporter's certification on departure control radar positions has been revoked. Reporter's training toward fpl status has been terminated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION FROM SMA Y. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: THERE WERE SEVERAL ACFT AIRBORNE OFF OF 2 DIFFERENT RWYS AT IAD. SEVERAL OF THESE ACFT HAD TO CROSS FLT PATHS IN ORDER TO BE ESTABLISHED ON THEIR RTE OF FLT. ACCOMPLISHING THIS AND CLBING EXPEDITIOUSLY TO AVOID LOWER ENRTE TFC CAUSED ACR X AND SMA Y TO GET TOO CLOSE FOR ACCEPTABLE SEP. I TOOK ACTION IMMEDIATELY AND TURNED THE 2 ACFT AWAY FROM EACH OTHER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. THE RPTR STATED ACR X AND SMA Y BOTH WERE ON RADAR VECTORS. WHEN HE REALIZED THERE WAS A CONFLICT AND STANDARD SEP WOULD BE LOST HE TURNED THE SMA Y, AND ISSUED TFC TO ACR X. ACR X RPTED THE SMA IN SIGHT (SEP AT THAT POINT WAS 2.5 MI AND 800'). RPTR INSTRUCTED ACR X TO MAINTAIN VIS FROM SMA Y. SEP REDUCED TO .5 MI AND 400'. ATCT SAW THE OPERATION, AND INFORMED THE TRACON SUPVR WHO INVESTIGATED. SYS ERROR WAS FILED AND RPTR'S CERTIFICATION ON DEP CTL RADAR POSITIONS HAS BEEN REVOKED. RPTR'S TRNING TOWARD FPL STATUS HAS BEEN TERMINATED.

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