Narrative:

I was working departure local (runway 4L) and another person was working arrival local (runway 4R). I cleared an L1011 for takeoff with a DC8 on approximately 3 mi final for runway 4R. The other local controller advised me that the DC8 is 'going around,' and I attempted several times to contact the L1011 to give him a 040 degree heading (the runway 4L SID says to merely 'turn right heading 100 degrees'), but he had apparently switched to departure control the moment he became airborne. This obviously developed into a tense situation. The runway 4L SID is a very poor procedure and controllers have been trying to get it changed for many yrs. The turn is not controled, therefore, it protects neither airspace nor 'noise sensitive' areas ('runway heading until 2 or 3 DME and then turn...' would even help!). Also, with a steady stream of arrs on runway 4R during IMC, it is virtually impossible to legally launch a departure on runway 4L (according to the 7110.65). There have been several close calls in this situation over the yrs, and it was only by blind luck that aircraft have not collided! Another factor was that the L1011 pilot switched to departure control on his own right away, probably to get vectors around the thunderstorms.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF L1011 ON SID REQUIRING A R TURN CHANGED TO DEP FREQ BEFORE BEING INSTRUCTED TO DO SO. DC8 ON APCH TO R PARALLEL RWY MADE A GAR. RPTR WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THE L1011 TO ISSUE HDG (TO AVOID XING THE PARALLEL RWY COURSE). RPTR CLAIMS THE SID TURN IS UNCTLED BY NOT SPECIFYING WHEN THE TURN IS TO BE MADE.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING DEP LCL (RWY 4L) AND ANOTHER PERSON WAS WORKING ARR LCL (RWY 4R). I CLRED AN L1011 FOR TKOF WITH A DC8 ON APPROX 3 MI FINAL FOR RWY 4R. THE OTHER LCL CTLR ADVISED ME THAT THE DC8 IS 'GOING AROUND,' AND I ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES TO CONTACT THE L1011 TO GIVE HIM A 040 DEG HDG (THE RWY 4L SID SAYS TO MERELY 'TURN R HDG 100 DEGS'), BUT HE HAD APPARENTLY SWITCHED TO DEP CTL THE MOMENT HE BECAME AIRBORNE. THIS OBVIOUSLY DEVELOPED INTO A TENSE SIT. THE RWY 4L SID IS A VERY POOR PROC AND CTLRS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET IT CHANGED FOR MANY YRS. THE TURN IS NOT CTLED, THEREFORE, IT PROTECTS NEITHER AIRSPACE NOR 'NOISE SENSITIVE' AREAS ('RWY HDG UNTIL 2 OR 3 DME AND THEN TURN...' WOULD EVEN HELP!). ALSO, WITH A STEADY STREAM OF ARRS ON RWY 4R DURING IMC, IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO LEGALLY LAUNCH A DEP ON RWY 4L (ACCORDING TO THE 7110.65). THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS IN THIS SIT OVER THE YRS, AND IT WAS ONLY BY BLIND LUCK THAT ACFT HAVE NOT COLLIDED! ANOTHER FACTOR WAS THAT THE L1011 PLT SWITCHED TO DEP CTL ON HIS OWN RIGHT AWAY, PROBABLY TO GET VECTORS AROUND THE TSTMS.

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.