Narrative:

I began the process of position relief at 2 or 3 mins before the hour. The position was very busy at the time. There were 3 aircraft in holding at martinsburg VORTAC awaiting approach clearance into martinsburg airport. There were 2 mlt on the ground at mrb awaiting departure release and an small aircraft on a transition from the VORTAC to the ILS runway 26 approach. When relief was finally accomplished, I called mrb tower and asked if the mlt was still in position and the runway. Tower had previously stated that the mlt was in position on runway 26. At the time the previously mentioned small aircraft was IAF inbound (approximately 11 mi final). Tower said the mlt was 'ready to go.' I released the mlt and instructed tower to get him rolling west/O delay. When I released the mlt, tower was taxiing to runway 08 so as not to lose #1 departure position. The small aircraft queried as to whether or not I wanted him to go to tower frequency. I told him that I would have frequency change for him shortly and to stand by. I had not passed the inbound to the tower because the position had become busier and I did not have time. I figured that once the mlt was talking to me, I could terminate service with the small aircraft, pass the inbound, and then make a plan for the next mlt and 3 other arrs. What actually happened was that the mgt departed runway 8, unknown to me, opp direction to the inbound small aircraft. The small aircraft changed frequency to tower, the mlt checked in with me, was given a heading and altitude. I called the small aircraft, found he was not on frequency and called the tower. They informed me that the small aircraft was on their frequency. The mlt was turned on course, climbed and switched to ZDC. A few mins later mrb tower called and requested a supervisor stating that an operational error had occurred. I was relieved after a total of 13 mins on position and a preliminary investigation ensued.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION DEP CAME CLOSE TO AN ARRIVING ACFT.

Narrative: I BEGAN THE PROCESS OF POS RELIEF AT 2 OR 3 MINS BEFORE THE HR. THE POS WAS VERY BUSY AT THE TIME. THERE WERE 3 ACFT IN HOLDING AT MARTINSBURG VORTAC AWAITING APCH CLRNC INTO MARTINSBURG ARPT. THERE WERE 2 MLT ON THE GND AT MRB AWAITING DEP RELEASE AND AN SMA ON A TRANSITION FROM THE VORTAC TO THE ILS RWY 26 APCH. WHEN RELIEF WAS FINALLY ACCOMPLISHED, I CALLED MRB TWR AND ASKED IF THE MLT WAS STILL IN POS AND THE RWY. TWR HAD PREVIOUSLY STATED THAT THE MLT WAS IN POS ON RWY 26. AT THE TIME THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED SMA WAS IAF INBND (APPROX 11 MI FINAL). TWR SAID THE MLT WAS 'READY TO GO.' I RELEASED THE MLT AND INSTRUCTED TWR TO GET HIM ROLLING W/O DELAY. WHEN I RELEASED THE MLT, TWR WAS TAXIING TO RWY 08 SO AS NOT TO LOSE #1 DEP POS. THE SMA QUERIED AS TO WHETHER OR NOT I WANTED HIM TO GO TO TWR FREQ. I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD HAVE FREQ CHANGE FOR HIM SHORTLY AND TO STAND BY. I HAD NOT PASSED THE INBND TO THE TWR BECAUSE THE POS HAD BECOME BUSIER AND I DID NOT HAVE TIME. I FIGURED THAT ONCE THE MLT WAS TALKING TO ME, I COULD TERMINATE SVC WITH THE SMA, PASS THE INBND, AND THEN MAKE A PLAN FOR THE NEXT MLT AND 3 OTHER ARRS. WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED WAS THAT THE MGT DEPARTED RWY 8, UNKNOWN TO ME, OPP DIRECTION TO THE INBND SMA. THE SMA CHANGED FREQ TO TWR, THE MLT CHKED IN WITH ME, WAS GIVEN A HDG AND ALT. I CALLED THE SMA, FOUND HE WAS NOT ON FREQ AND CALLED THE TWR. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE SMA WAS ON THEIR FREQ. THE MLT WAS TURNED ON COURSE, CLBED AND SWITCHED TO ZDC. A FEW MINS LATER MRB TWR CALLED AND REQUESTED A SUPVR STATING THAT AN OPERROR HAD OCCURRED. I WAS RELIEVED AFTER A TOTAL OF 13 MINS ON POS AND A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION ENSUED.

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.