Narrative:

I approved an opposite direction arrival (aircraft Y) to the airport with an opposite direction departing aircraft (aircraft X) under my control. The arrival was under the control of the approach controller (note: the facilities are not co-located). The departing aircraft was not told of the arriving aircraft, because at the time, I felt it wouldn't be a factor. The departing aircraft did not start his turn to the east until leaving 2600 ft, which is in accordance with departure procedures for the airport. The departing aircraft was instructed to turn eastbound on initial takeoff clearance. To clarify this situation, the departing aircraft departed runway 14R and the arrival inbound to runway 32L. The situation could have been prevented by instructing the departing aircraft to start his turn as soon as practical and giving traffic that was inbound opposite direction. Approach control could have been advised to slow the arrival aircraft and also base the aircraft instead of a straight-in. The aircraft could have been broken off the approach since the departure wasn't turning. Don't approve opposite direction arrs that will delay departing aircraft. Plan ahead and use positive control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT CTLR APPROVED OPPOSITE DIRECTION ARR WITHOUT ENSURING SEPARATION WITH A RELEASED IFR DEPARTING ACFT. SEPARATION WAS LOST WHEN THE TWR CTLR XFERRED COM OF DEPARTING ACFT TO THE TRACON, WITH THE ARR ON APCH, ON TRACON FREQ.

Narrative: I APPROVED AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION ARR (ACFT Y) TO THE ARPT WITH AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION DEPARTING ACFT (ACFT X) UNDER MY CTL. THE ARR WAS UNDER THE CTL OF THE APCH CTLR (NOTE: THE FACILITIES ARE NOT CO-LOCATED). THE DEPARTING ACFT WAS NOT TOLD OF THE ARRIVING ACFT, BECAUSE AT THE TIME, I FELT IT WOULDN'T BE A FACTOR. THE DEPARTING ACFT DID NOT START HIS TURN TO THE E UNTIL LEAVING 2600 FT, WHICH IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH DEP PROCS FOR THE ARPT. THE DEPARTING ACFT WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN EBOUND ON INITIAL TKOF CLRNC. TO CLARIFY THIS SIT, THE DEPARTING ACFT DEPARTED RWY 14R AND THE ARR INBOUND TO RWY 32L. THE SIT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY INSTRUCTING THE DEPARTING ACFT TO START HIS TURN AS SOON AS PRACTICAL AND GIVING TFC THAT WAS INBOUND OPPOSITE DIRECTION. APCH CTL COULD HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO SLOW THE ARR ACFT AND ALSO BASE THE ACFT INSTEAD OF A STRAIGHT-IN. THE ACFT COULD HAVE BEEN BROKEN OFF THE APCH SINCE THE DEP WASN'T TURNING. DON'T APPROVE OPPOSITE DIRECTION ARRS THAT WILL DELAY DEPARTING ACFT. PLAN AHEAD AND USE POSITIVE CTL.

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.