Narrative:

B737 departed ord. I asked pilot if he was on my frequency when he was approximately 4 mi ese of ord. Pilot replied 'yes, leaving 4000 ft for 5000 ft.' I gave aircraft (flight X) radar contact and continued to work approximately 5 other aircraft. When I returned to flight X, I noticed that his heading was taking him into the runway 22L descent area (strip assigned by tower showed heading assigned to aircraft of 080 degrees). I asked aircraft X if he was heading 090 degrees. He replied he was on a 020 degree heading. I turned him to 090 degrees level at 5000 ft MSL. I coordinated with east arrival handoff, my position of X in the descent area. East arrival handoff concurred with my position report. Flight Y was entering the runway 22L descent area at 6600 ft northbound. Unknown to me, the runway 22L arrival controller had asked flight Y for a rapid descent into the airport. I issued traffic to flight X. I observed Y's altitude at 5600 ft and issued traffic again. X did not have Y in sight. In my override someone said 'turn X to 040 degrees and climb to 13000 ft.' I turned X to 040 degrees, but did not climb due to the fact that I did not know where flight Y was going. When I realized Y was not stopping his descent, I issued traffic again and told X to climb to 13000 ft with a good rate and to keep his turn to 040 degrees right. X reported Y in sight. I turned X back to a 090 degree heading once he was clear of traffic and asked for position relief.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE E DEP CTLR IS CHALLENGED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SEPARATION FOR DEP AND ARR TFC WHEN 1 DEP ACR STRAYS INTO THE RWY 22L ARR DSCNT AREA NE OF ORD, IL.

Narrative: B737 DEPARTED ORD. I ASKED PLT IF HE WAS ON MY FREQ WHEN HE WAS APPROX 4 MI ESE OF ORD. PLT REPLIED 'YES, LEAVING 4000 FT FOR 5000 FT.' I GAVE ACFT (FLT X) RADAR CONTACT AND CONTINUED TO WORK APPROX 5 OTHER ACFT. WHEN I RETURNED TO FLT X, I NOTICED THAT HIS HDG WAS TAKING HIM INTO THE RWY 22L DSCNT AREA (STRIP ASSIGNED BY TWR SHOWED HDG ASSIGNED TO ACFT OF 080 DEGS). I ASKED ACFT X IF HE WAS HDG 090 DEGS. HE REPLIED HE WAS ON A 020 DEG HDG. I TURNED HIM TO 090 DEGS LEVEL AT 5000 FT MSL. I COORDINATED WITH E ARR HDOF, MY POS OF X IN THE DSCNT AREA. E ARR HDOF CONCURRED WITH MY POS RPT. FLT Y WAS ENTERING THE RWY 22L DSCNT AREA AT 6600 FT NBOUND. UNKNOWN TO ME, THE RWY 22L ARR CTLR HAD ASKED FLT Y FOR A RAPID DSCNT INTO THE ARPT. I ISSUED TFC TO FLT X. I OBSERVED Y'S ALT AT 5600 FT AND ISSUED TFC AGAIN. X DID NOT HAVE Y IN SIGHT. IN MY OVERRIDE SOMEONE SAID 'TURN X TO 040 DEGS AND CLB TO 13000 FT.' I TURNED X TO 040 DEGS, BUT DID NOT CLB DUE TO THE FACT THAT I DID NOT KNOW WHERE FLT Y WAS GOING. WHEN I REALIZED Y WAS NOT STOPPING HIS DSCNT, I ISSUED TFC AGAIN AND TOLD X TO CLB TO 13000 FT WITH A GOOD RATE AND TO KEEP HIS TURN TO 040 DEGS R. X RPTED Y IN SIGHT. I TURNED X BACK TO A 090 DEG HDG ONCE HE WAS CLR OF TFC AND ASKED FOR POS RELIEF.

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.