Narrative:

Tower cleared a B727 to land on runway 16R. About 7 mins later, a B757 was cleared to takeoff runway heading on runway 16R. No exchange of traffic to either aircraft. Approximately 1 min later, the B727 reported '1/4 mi final.' tower subsequently instructed the B727 to 'go around sidestep to the right.' tower then turned the B727 right to 180 degrees. Both aircraft disappeared into the clouds. As the radar controller, I observed 2 target departing runway 16R. The 2 aircraft were separated by less than 1 mi laterally and less than 500 ft vertically. The cause was tower controller not using good judgement between arriving and departing aircraft. Corrective action: according to the region headquarters, there was no official system deviation. Headquarters indicated this occurs frequently, but there was not a loss of separation. Locally, the controller was decertified. He will get remedial training and eventually recertified. Supplemental information from acn 365369: I looked up to observe a B727 executing a climb out on short final to avoid a B757 just starting a takeoff roll. The B757 entered the clouds at about the same time as the B727, and the B727 was turned 25 degrees from runway heading.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERROR WHEN B727 RPTS QUARTER MI FINAL AND IS INSTRUCTED TO GAR WITH A SIDESTEP TO THE R DUE TO A B757 ON TKOF ROLL ON THE SAME RWY. BOTH ACFT ENTERED THE CLOUDS ABOUT THE SAME TIME. THE B727 WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TURNED TO A DIVERGENT HDG. RO DETERMINED THIS WAS NOT AN OPERROR. CTLR WAS DECERTIFIED 3 DAYS LATER.

Narrative: TWR CLRED A B727 TO LAND ON RWY 16R. ABOUT 7 MINS LATER, A B757 WAS CLRED TO TKOF RWY HDG ON RWY 16R. NO EXCHANGE OF TFC TO EITHER ACFT. APPROX 1 MIN LATER, THE B727 RPTED '1/4 MI FINAL.' TWR SUBSEQUENTLY INSTRUCTED THE B727 TO 'GAR SIDESTEP TO THE R.' TWR THEN TURNED THE B727 R TO 180 DEGS. BOTH ACFT DISAPPEARED INTO THE CLOUDS. AS THE RADAR CTLR, I OBSERVED 2 TARGET DEPARTING RWY 16R. THE 2 ACFT WERE SEPARATED BY LESS THAN 1 MI LATERALLY AND LESS THAN 500 FT VERTLY. THE CAUSE WAS TWR CTLR NOT USING GOOD JUDGEMENT BTWN ARRIVING AND DEPARTING ACFT. CORRECTIVE ACTION: ACCORDING TO THE REGION HEADQUARTERS, THERE WAS NO OFFICIAL SYS DEV. HEADQUARTERS INDICATED THIS OCCURS FREQUENTLY, BUT THERE WAS NOT A LOSS OF SEPARATION. LOCALLY, THE CTLR WAS DECERTIFIED. HE WILL GET REMEDIAL TRAINING AND EVENTUALLY RECERTIFIED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 365369: I LOOKED UP TO OBSERVE A B727 EXECUTING A CLBOUT ON SHORT FINAL TO AVOID A B757 JUST STARTING A TKOF ROLL. THE B757 ENTERED THE CLOUDS AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS THE B727, AND THE B727 WAS TURNED 25 DEGS FROM RWY HDG.

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.