Narrative:

I was working the 'cruxx' radar sector operating willow run (yip) departures; detroit metropolitan (dtw) propeller departures; low altitude arrs; and low altitude en route traffic. Yip departure procedures require a data strip with the runway of departure printed on it and an automatic flash release feature displayed on the radar screen. Yip active runway was runway 23L. I released the first departure; air carrier X; off runway 23L with an IFR clearance from yip to ptk (pontiac international); approximately 15 mi north of yip. I radar idented air carrier X off runway 23L; assigned an altitude of 3000 ft; and issued a turn to 270 degrees. At this moment I released air carrier Y to depart yip. I assumed they were also departing runway 23L even though the flight progress strip showed runway 27. No other coordination is necessary for a departure coming off a runway other than the active. I turned air carrier X to a 030 degree heading and advised them to proceed to ptk when able. I was still thinking air carrier Y was coming off runway 23L and air carrier X was well west off the departure path. At this same time I had a visual approach into a satellite airport just inside another controller's airspace that cancelled his IFR flight plan. I had coordinated with the other controller and advised them of the cancellation. Toledo approach called with a pointout to the south of my airspace. I had no coordinator; so I answered the line and received not one; but 2 points; one from another sector in toledo approach. I also received coordination from a dtw jet departure controller with approval to climb another aircraft. Then air carrier Y called airborne off runway 27 level at 3000 ft and turning to a 300 degree heading as assigned by yip tower. I radar idented air carrier Y and issued an immediate turn to 360 degrees; and issued a turn to 300 degrees to air carrier X to obtain diverging headings. I was under the assumption both aircraft were departing the same active runway. Even though I had prior knowledge written on the flight progress strip and with the automated release function on my radar screen it also showed runway 27 in small lettering at the end of the call sign. I am not placing blame elsewhere. I should have known the departure runway of the second aircraft and not released them. I do not feel that this procedure could be improved. A simple coordination call by yip tower telling me that air carrier Y was a runway 27 departure and this scenario would have never happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: D21 CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT 3000 FT WHEN HE OR SHE INCORRECTLY ASSUMED DEP RWY INFO AND ISSUED A CONFLICTING TURN.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE 'CRUXX' RADAR SECTOR OPERATING WILLOW RUN (YIP) DEPS; DETROIT METRO (DTW) PROP DEPS; LOW ALT ARRS; AND LOW ALT ENRTE TFC. YIP DEP PROCS REQUIRE A DATA STRIP WITH THE RWY OF DEP PRINTED ON IT AND AN AUTO FLASH RELEASE FEATURE DISPLAYED ON THE RADAR SCREEN. YIP ACTIVE RWY WAS RWY 23L. I RELEASED THE FIRST DEP; ACR X; OFF RWY 23L WITH AN IFR CLRNC FROM YIP TO PTK (PONTIAC INTL); APPROX 15 MI N OF YIP. I RADAR IDENTED ACR X OFF RWY 23L; ASSIGNED AN ALT OF 3000 FT; AND ISSUED A TURN TO 270 DEGS. AT THIS MOMENT I RELEASED ACR Y TO DEPART YIP. I ASSUMED THEY WERE ALSO DEPARTING RWY 23L EVEN THOUGH THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP SHOWED RWY 27. NO OTHER COORD IS NECESSARY FOR A DEP COMING OFF A RWY OTHER THAN THE ACTIVE. I TURNED ACR X TO A 030 DEG HDG AND ADVISED THEM TO PROCEED TO PTK WHEN ABLE. I WAS STILL THINKING ACR Y WAS COMING OFF RWY 23L AND ACR X WAS WELL W OFF THE DEP PATH. AT THIS SAME TIME I HAD A VISUAL APCH INTO A SATELLITE ARPT JUST INSIDE ANOTHER CTLR'S AIRSPACE THAT CANCELLED HIS IFR FLT PLAN. I HAD COORDINATED WITH THE OTHER CTLR AND ADVISED THEM OF THE CANCELLATION. TOLEDO APCH CALLED WITH A POINTOUT TO THE S OF MY AIRSPACE. I HAD NO COORDINATOR; SO I ANSWERED THE LINE AND RECEIVED NOT ONE; BUT 2 POINTS; ONE FROM ANOTHER SECTOR IN TOLEDO APCH. I ALSO RECEIVED COORD FROM A DTW JET DEP CTLR WITH APPROVAL TO CLB ANOTHER ACFT. THEN ACR Y CALLED AIRBORNE OFF RWY 27 LEVEL AT 3000 FT AND TURNING TO A 300 DEG HDG AS ASSIGNED BY YIP TWR. I RADAR IDENTED ACR Y AND ISSUED AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO 360 DEGS; AND ISSUED A TURN TO 300 DEGS TO ACR X TO OBTAIN DIVERGING HDGS. I WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION BOTH ACFT WERE DEPARTING THE SAME ACTIVE RWY. EVEN THOUGH I HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE WRITTEN ON THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP AND WITH THE AUTOMATED RELEASE FUNCTION ON MY RADAR SCREEN IT ALSO SHOWED RWY 27 IN SMALL LETTERING AT THE END OF THE CALL SIGN. I AM NOT PLACING BLAME ELSEWHERE. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THE DEP RWY OF THE SECOND ACFT AND NOT RELEASED THEM. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS PROC COULD BE IMPROVED. A SIMPLE COORD CALL BY YIP TWR TELLING ME THAT ACR Y WAS A RWY 27 DEP AND THIS SCENARIO WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED.

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.