Tower TRACON dispute over tower's ability to provide visual separation at iah.

Attributes
ACN	575544
Time
Date	200303
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah.airport
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Rain other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon tower : iah.tower
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon tower : iah.tower
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 13
ASRS Report	575544
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : iah.tower

Narrative:

During the time period above, iah airport was landing on runway 26 and runway 27 with simultaneous approachs in use. Departing aircraft were assigned runways 33R/left due to strong northwest winds (8-20 KTS). Local procedures require the following in VMC conditions in order to protect for a missed approach -- 1) arriving aircraft in sight by tower and visual separation applied. 2) runway in sight by aircraft, or 3) runway 26 arrs outside of 3 NM from touchdown runway 27 arrs outside of 2 NM from touchdown prior to rolling a runway 33 departure. This was seemingly ignored or misapplied at first. When brought to the attention of the TRACON supervisor, the TRACON was asked to provide 5-6 mi holes on both runways with the arrs side by side. This was done for the remainder of the shift. However, the tower continued launching 33 departures without regard for these procedures. When asked, a tower controller said they used visual separation. This seemed unlikely with the reported WX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR TRACON DISPUTE OVER TWR'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE VISUAL SEPARATION AT IAH.

Narrative: DURING THE TIME PERIOD ABOVE, IAH ARPT WAS LNDG ON RWY 26 AND RWY 27 WITH SIMULTANEOUS APCHS IN USE. DEPARTING ACFT WERE ASSIGNED RWYS 33R/L DUE TO STRONG NW WINDS (8-20 KTS). LCL PROCS REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING IN VMC CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO PROTECT FOR A MISSED APCH -- 1) ARRIVING ACFT IN SIGHT BY TWR AND VISUAL SEPARATION APPLIED. 2) RWY IN SIGHT BY ACFT, OR 3) RWY 26 ARRS OUTSIDE OF 3 NM FROM TOUCHDOWN RWY 27 ARRS OUTSIDE OF 2 NM FROM TOUCHDOWN PRIOR TO ROLLING A RWY 33 DEP. THIS WAS SEEMINGLY IGNORED OR MISAPPLIED AT FIRST. WHEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF THE TRACON SUPVR, THE TRACON WAS ASKED TO PROVIDE 5-6 MI HOLES ON BOTH RWYS WITH THE ARRS SIDE BY SIDE. THIS WAS DONE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SHIFT. HOWEVER, THE TWR CONTINUED LAUNCHING 33 DEPS WITHOUT REGARD FOR THESE PROCS. WHEN ASKED, A TWR CTLR SAID THEY USED VISUAL SEPARATION. THIS SEEMED UNLIKELY WITH THE RPTED WX.

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.