Narrative:

Cpr X, departed azo on IFR flight plan, runway 27, assigned initial heading 270 degree. Cpr X misidented for traffic departing runway 35 by west sector radar controller and is issued climb to 8000. Cpr X transponder becomes operational as he's passing 5600 in the climb. Cpr X is in conflict with small aircraft Y at 60 (also IFR). Traffic issued to both. Cpr X reports small aircraft Y in sight and is told to maintain visual, and to proceed on course. This error occurred directly due to the west sector departure controller's failure to identify the departure runway, as noted correctly on the flight progress strip. The west sector radar controller assumed that since the departure was a jet, that it had departed from the long runway (runway 35/6500 ft) on the noise abatement heading of 020 degree, instead of runway 27 (3350 ft). The error occurred 5 west of the kalamazoo airport. The failure of the transponder (cpr X) to appear on the radar display until 5 mi from the departure end of the runway didn't help matters, and can be considered a contributing factor. However, responsibility for this error lies solely with the radar controller. Resolutions/corrections: the radar controller will endeavor to maintain the highest level of awareness, to ensure this type of error doesn't happen again. Traffic workload and complexity were moderate at the time of the error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEP CTLR RADAR MISIDENTED CPR X HAD LTSS FROM SMA Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: CPR X, DEPARTED AZO ON IFR FLT PLAN, RWY 27, ASSIGNED INITIAL HDG 270 DEG. CPR X MISIDENTED FOR TFC DEPARTING RWY 35 BY W SECTOR RADAR CTLR AND IS ISSUED CLB TO 8000. CPR X TRANSPONDER BECOMES OPERATIONAL AS HE'S PASSING 5600 IN THE CLB. CPR X IS IN CONFLICT WITH SMA Y AT 60 (ALSO IFR). TFC ISSUED TO BOTH. CPR X RPTS SMA Y IN SIGHT AND IS TOLD TO MAINTAIN VISUAL, AND TO PROCEED ON COURSE. THIS ERROR OCCURRED DIRECTLY DUE TO THE W SECTOR DEP CTLR'S FAILURE TO IDENT THE DEP RWY, AS NOTED CORRECTLY ON THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP. THE W SECTOR RADAR CTLR ASSUMED THAT SINCE THE DEP WAS A JET, THAT IT HAD DEPARTED FROM THE LONG RWY (RWY 35/6500 FT) ON THE NOISE ABATEMENT HDG OF 020 DEG, INSTEAD OF RWY 27 (3350 FT). THE ERROR OCCURRED 5 W OF THE KALAMAZOO ARPT. THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSPONDER (CPR X) TO APPEAR ON THE RADAR DISPLAY UNTIL 5 MI FROM THE DEP END OF THE RWY DIDN'T HELP MATTERS, AND CAN BE CONSIDERED A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. HOWEVER, RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ERROR LIES SOLELY WITH THE RADAR CTLR. RESOLUTIONS/CORRECTIONS: THE RADAR CTLR WILL ENDEAVOR TO MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF AWARENESS, TO ENSURE THIS TYPE OF ERROR DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. TFC WORKLOAD AND COMPLEXITY WERE MODERATE AT THE TIME OF THE ERROR.

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.