Air carrier X issued VFR climb had conflict with medium large transport. Soliciting VFR climbs.

Attributes
ACN	247891
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gjt
State Reference	CO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : gjt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller non radar : 7
ASRS Report	247891
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 30000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier X taxied out to runway 11 requesting IFR clearance to publication. Controller working position had an IFR medium large transport inbound from the southeast of gjt. The approach controller asked air carrier X if he wanted a VFR climb. Pilot initially declined but later accepted and apologized for the confusion. Said he did not understand the request. Air carrier X flight path was in direct conflict with the medium large transport. I observed the medium large transport 15 mi ese of gjt when air carrier X was about 8 mi from the departure end of runway 11. The medium large transport had already been cleared for the visual approach to runway 29. ZDV issued traffic to the approach controller, and relayed it to me as '12 O'clock, 5 mi, ? Altitude.' this situation could have easily resulted in a midair collision between these 2 aircraft. The solicitation of VFR climbs from departing IFR pilots needs to stop before someone experiences a midair collision. Soliciting VFR climbs is a common practice at this facility.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X ISSUED VFR CLB HAD CONFLICT WITH MLG. SOLICITING VFR CLBS.

Narrative: ACR X TAXIED OUT TO RWY 11 REQUESTING IFR CLRNC TO PUB. CTLR WORKING POS HAD AN IFR MLG INBOUND FROM THE SE OF GJT. THE APCH CTLR ASKED ACR X IF HE WANTED A VFR CLB. PLT INITIALLY DECLINED BUT LATER ACCEPTED AND APOLOGIZED FOR THE CONFUSION. SAID HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE REQUEST. ACR X FLT PATH WAS IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH THE MLG. I OBSERVED THE MLG 15 MI ESE OF GJT WHEN ACR X WAS ABOUT 8 MI FROM THE DEP END OF RWY 11. THE MLG HAD ALREADY BEEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 29. ZDV ISSUED TFC TO THE APCH CTLR, AND RELAYED IT TO ME AS '12 O'CLOCK, 5 MI, ? ALT.' THIS SIT COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN A MIDAIR COLLISION BTWN THESE 2 ACFT. THE SOLICITATION OF VFR CLBS FROM DEPARTING IFR PLTS NEEDS TO STOP BEFORE SOMEONE EXPERIENCES A MIDAIR COLLISION. SOLICITING VFR CLBS IS A COMMON PRACTICE AT THIS FACILITY.

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.