Narrative:

I was working local control in avl tower, runway 16 in use with an 8-10 KT southerly wind. The field was VFR, visibility 3 mi in haze. A thunderstorm was located 4 mi north of the airport on the final approach course, so we were using ILS 34 for arrs, and departing aircraft from runway 16. Small transport X was taxiing to runway 16 for an IFR departure, and an IFR small transport Y was inbound on ILS runway 34. I obtained a release from approach control for this small transport X to depart runway 16 with a turn to 220 degree after 2500' (the minimum altitude for turn). I determined that the small transport X would be ready for departure upon reaching the end of the runway and cleared him for takeoff, advising him of small transport Y on a 10 mi final for runway 34. Small transport X departed, turned, and was established on a 220 degree heading when small transport Y was on a 5 mi final. The aircraft passed less than 3 mi apart on diverging courses. According to handbook 7110.65, non-radar chapter, an opp direction departure may be released if it is established on a course at more than 45 degree from the recriprocal of the final approach course before the arrival reaches 4 mi from the end of runway. The situation did not seem unsafe, and I am not sure which rules apply. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter counseled that radar cannot be used to establish non radar procedure. In this particular case non radar procedures were not applied correctly. Reporter stated small transport X was turning to the assigned heading and not established.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: I WAS WORKING LCL CTL IN AVL TWR, RWY 16 IN USE WITH AN 8-10 KT SOUTHERLY WIND. THE FIELD WAS VFR, VISIBILITY 3 MI IN HAZE. A TSTM WAS LOCATED 4 MI N OF THE ARPT ON THE FINAL APCH COURSE, SO WE WERE USING ILS 34 FOR ARRS, AND DEPARTING ACFT FROM RWY 16. SMT X WAS TAXIING TO RWY 16 FOR AN IFR DEP, AND AN IFR SMT Y WAS INBND ON ILS RWY 34. I OBTAINED A RELEASE FROM APCH CTL FOR THIS SMT X TO DEPART RWY 16 WITH A TURN TO 220 DEG AFTER 2500' (THE MINIMUM ALT FOR TURN). I DETERMINED THAT THE SMT X WOULD BE READY FOR DEP UPON REACHING THE END OF THE RWY AND CLRED HIM FOR TKOF, ADVISING HIM OF SMT Y ON A 10 MI FINAL FOR RWY 34. SMT X DEPARTED, TURNED, AND WAS ESTABLISHED ON A 220 DEG HDG WHEN SMT Y WAS ON A 5 MI FINAL. THE ACFT PASSED LESS THAN 3 MI APART ON DIVERGING COURSES. ACCORDING TO HANDBOOK 7110.65, NON-RADAR CHAPTER, AN OPP DIRECTION DEP MAY BE RELEASED IF IT IS ESTABLISHED ON A COURSE AT MORE THAN 45 DEG FROM THE RECRIPROCAL OF THE FINAL APCH COURSE BEFORE THE ARR REACHES 4 MI FROM THE END OF RWY. THE SITUATION DID NOT SEEM UNSAFE, AND I AM NOT SURE WHICH RULES APPLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR COUNSELED THAT RADAR CANNOT BE USED TO ESTABLISH NON RADAR PROC. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE NON RADAR PROCS WERE NOT APPLIED CORRECTLY. RPTR STATED SMT X WAS TURNING TO THE ASSIGNED HDG AND NOT ESTABLISHED.

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.