Narrative:

I was working arrival west at cvg. Air carrier X CRJ2 was inbound to cvg; filed rid 217 meekr direct cvg. In an attempt to shortcut air carrier X; I issued a 190 degree heading to join the cvg 320 degree radial. Air carrier X turned onto the cvg 340 degree radial. I was working 5 other aircraft at the time; and in the middle of my scan saw the aircraft head-on with another similar call sign departing cvg direct mie climbing through 8700 ft for 13000 ft; I asked the pilot if he was showing himself on the 320 degree radial; and he indicated he did. I then turned him to a 220 degree heading using an 'immediate' clearance. The departure north controller turned his aircraft also. The aircraft's closest proximity was zero ft vertical; and 3.5 mi lateral. Following the mix; I turned air carrier X back to cvg VOR; and asked him to advise his heading once he was direct. He later advised that '143 degrees is direct.' I showed him on the 323 degree radial off cvg. An exact match; and still north of where the aircraft was supposed to be initially. Had the departure controller or myself not caught the pilot's error; the aircraft would have been in very close proximity. If the pilot had any question about his clearance; he should have asked; and the fact the plane was still north of where he should have been makes me wonder about what exactly the crew was doing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CVG CTLR CHRONICLES PLT NAV ERROR THAT RESULTED IN NEAR LOSS OF SEPARATION AT 9000 FT BTWN ARR AND DEP ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING ARR W AT CVG. ACR X CRJ2 WAS INBOUND TO CVG; FILED RID 217 MEEKR DIRECT CVG. IN AN ATTEMPT TO SHORTCUT ACR X; I ISSUED A 190 DEG HDG TO JOIN THE CVG 320 DEG RADIAL. ACR X TURNED ONTO THE CVG 340 DEG RADIAL. I WAS WORKING 5 OTHER ACFT AT THE TIME; AND IN THE MIDDLE OF MY SCAN SAW THE ACFT HEAD-ON WITH ANOTHER SIMILAR CALL SIGN DEPARTING CVG DIRECT MIE CLBING THROUGH 8700 FT FOR 13000 FT; I ASKED THE PLT IF HE WAS SHOWING HIMSELF ON THE 320 DEG RADIAL; AND HE INDICATED HE DID. I THEN TURNED HIM TO A 220 DEG HDG USING AN 'IMMEDIATE' CLRNC. THE DEP N CTLR TURNED HIS ACFT ALSO. THE ACFT'S CLOSEST PROX WAS ZERO FT VERT; AND 3.5 MI LATERAL. FOLLOWING THE MIX; I TURNED ACR X BACK TO CVG VOR; AND ASKED HIM TO ADVISE HIS HDG ONCE HE WAS DIRECT. HE LATER ADVISED THAT '143 DEGS IS DIRECT.' I SHOWED HIM ON THE 323 DEG RADIAL OFF CVG. AN EXACT MATCH; AND STILL N OF WHERE THE ACFT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE INITIALLY. HAD THE DEP CTLR OR MYSELF NOT CAUGHT THE PLT'S ERROR; THE ACFT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN VERY CLOSE PROX. IF THE PLT HAD ANY QUESTION ABOUT HIS CLRNC; HE SHOULD HAVE ASKED; AND THE FACT THE PLANE WAS STILL N OF WHERE HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAKES ME WONDER ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY THE CREW WAS DOING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.