Narrative:

The C210 was cleared for an ILS to runway 35 from about 15 mi south of the airport. The baron reported the field in sight from about 8 mi northeast of the airport. This is a common 'trap' at our facility. I remember having the same type of scenario when I was in training. It is very common on a north flow here. North flows are not all that common here, especially this time of yr. We have a navy outlying field 5 mi southeast of crp airport. They run a pattern at or below 1500 ft MSL. So, we will clear aircraft from the northeast for the visual approach telling them to maintain 2000 ft until established on a straight-in to runway 35. The baron did exactly that. The problem which I knew and told the developmental to watch was that at that altitude, aircraft tend to swing south to give more distance for the descent. Like I was saying, as soon as the baron reported the field in sight, I knew what would happen. I told the trainee, 'this will be close,' trying to get his attention. Later, I told him 'take control of your visual approach,' then just as I told him to turn the baron to the heading of 330 degrees, the conflict alert sounded. The trainee immediately began issuing traffic to the C210. The C210 never saw the traffic, but reported having him on 'the box.' the developmental turned the C210 out and revectored him to the ILS runway 35. I should have just taken care of the situation from the beginning, but the trainee would not have seen first hand this very common trap on a north flow. It just doesn't get windy from the north here much. This guy is about ready for certification and really is considered a good trainee. This probably lulled me into thinking he would take care of it with subtle clues. I should have intervened on frequency from the time the baron reported the field or told the trainee what to do instead of waiting to see what he would do. It is a fine line and admittedly my lack of trainer time showed itself today.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRP APCH CTLR MONITORING A TRAINEE EXPERIENCES AN OPERROR.

Narrative: THE C210 WAS CLRED FOR AN ILS TO RWY 35 FROM ABOUT 15 MI S OF THE ARPT. THE BARON RPTED THE FIELD IN SIGHT FROM ABOUT 8 MI NE OF THE ARPT. THIS IS A COMMON 'TRAP' AT OUR FACILITY. I REMEMBER HAVING THE SAME TYPE OF SCENARIO WHEN I WAS IN TRAINING. IT IS VERY COMMON ON A N FLOW HERE. N FLOWS ARE NOT ALL THAT COMMON HERE, ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YR. WE HAVE A NAVY OUTLYING FIELD 5 MI SE OF CRP ARPT. THEY RUN A PATTERN AT OR BELOW 1500 FT MSL. SO, WE WILL CLR ACFT FROM THE NE FOR THE VISUAL APCH TELLING THEM TO MAINTAIN 2000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON A STRAIGHT-IN TO RWY 35. THE BARON DID EXACTLY THAT. THE PROB WHICH I KNEW AND TOLD THE DEVELOPMENTAL TO WATCH WAS THAT AT THAT ALT, ACFT TEND TO SWING S TO GIVE MORE DISTANCE FOR THE DSCNT. LIKE I WAS SAYING, AS SOON AS THE BARON RPTED THE FIELD IN SIGHT, I KNEW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. I TOLD THE TRAINEE, 'THIS WILL BE CLOSE,' TRYING TO GET HIS ATTN. LATER, I TOLD HIM 'TAKE CTL OF YOUR VISUAL APCH,' THEN JUST AS I TOLD HIM TO TURN THE BARON TO THE HDG OF 330 DEGS, THE CONFLICT ALERT SOUNDED. THE TRAINEE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN ISSUING TFC TO THE C210. THE C210 NEVER SAW THE TFC, BUT RPTED HAVING HIM ON 'THE BOX.' THE DEVELOPMENTAL TURNED THE C210 OUT AND REVECTORED HIM TO THE ILS RWY 35. I SHOULD HAVE JUST TAKEN CARE OF THE SIT FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT THE TRAINEE WOULD NOT HAVE SEEN FIRST HAND THIS VERY COMMON TRAP ON A N FLOW. IT JUST DOESN'T GET WINDY FROM THE N HERE MUCH. THIS GUY IS ABOUT READY FOR CERTIFICATION AND REALLY IS CONSIDERED A GOOD TRAINEE. THIS PROBABLY LULLED ME INTO THINKING HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT WITH SUBTLE CLUES. I SHOULD HAVE INTERVENED ON FREQ FROM THE TIME THE BARON RPTED THE FIELD OR TOLD THE TRAINEE WHAT TO DO INSTEAD OF WAITING TO SEE WHAT HE WOULD DO. IT IS A FINE LINE AND ADMITTEDLY MY LACK OF TRAINER TIME SHOWED ITSELF TODAY.

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.