Narrative:

Aircraft Y; IFR; localizer back course approach to runway 17L. Aircraft X; IFR; visual approach to runway 17R. The pilot of aircraft Y called the controller working local control inbound on the back course approach. The controller cleared the pilot of aircraft Y 'for the option of runway 17L' then corrected the clearance to 'cleared low approach at or above 2300 ft' because the runway 17L was closed. The pilot of aircraft Y then asked to sidestep to runway 17R. The controller cleared the aircraft 'Y behind a barron short final cleared to land runway 17R.' shortly after aircraft Y; I called inbound on final runway 17R visual approach. The controller 'cleared aircraft #2 cleared to land runway 17R' (about 70-80 KTS of closure/overtake). The pilot of aircraft Y advised 'braking off the localizer for runway 17R.' aircraft X was 1 - 1 1/2 mi behind and to the right. Myself and another controller started yelling at the controller to 'climb aircraft X.' the controller turned aircraft Y to the east and turned aircraft X to the right. Corrective actions: the FAA has for about 1 - 1 1/2 yrs started certifying these students on position with no recommendations from the training teams. The FAA needs to follow their own orders! Supplemental information from acn 782951: approach vectored me to heading 270 degrees (from 230 degrees). Said he had multiple traffic. Tower then vectored me to heading 250 degrees; then 230 degrees to join final. Said clear to land; #2; following aircraft Y. I had joined final at this time. I was at normal approach speed. He later asked me if I had aircraft Y in sight. I said I did not. I received a traffic alert; but not RA. He said to climb (out of 2500 ft) to 3000 ft and execute a right 360 degree turn. He then told aircraft Y to execute a left 360 degree turn. At the end of my 360 degree turn; he cleared me to land ahead of aircraft Y this time. Normally; I believe; if you are expected to find the other traffic; you are told to follow the other aircraft and begin turn to final when you have a visual and can maintain separation and you're often asked to confirm he's in sight. I believed that the tower was maintaining separation by the vectors I was given. It was very bright with the sun ahead and to the right and had he asked me to maintain a visual with the traffic; I am not sure I could have. I could have told him I didn't have the other traffic in sight when he cleared me to land; but I don't believe that's customary unless you are told to follow the traffic and I believe in a busy environment that would be said too often and it is not necessary for the pilot to have the traffic it's following in sight in a radar controled environment unless the tower or controller instructs. I believe the approach control and tower could have kept me on the wide vector longer and/or told me to maintain a lower speed and anticipated the spacing better. I believe I could tell the pilot of aircraft Y was in training and perhaps he did something odd to slow his path to the runway compared to normal.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ABI GND CTLR DESCRIBED CONFLICT EVENT WITH TWO ARR ACFT DURING AN OVERTAKE SITUATION; CITING FACILITY TRAINING PROCS AS CONTRIBUTORY.

Narrative: ACFT Y; IFR; LOC BACK COURSE APCH TO RWY 17L. ACFT X; IFR; VISUAL APCH TO RWY 17R. THE PLT OF ACFT Y CALLED THE CTLR WORKING LCL CTL INBOUND ON THE BACK COURSE APCH. THE CTLR CLRED THE PLT OF ACFT Y 'FOR THE OPTION OF RWY 17L' THEN CORRECTED THE CLRNC TO 'CLRED LOW APCH AT OR ABOVE 2300 FT' BECAUSE THE RWY 17L WAS CLOSED. THE PLT OF ACFT Y THEN ASKED TO SIDESTEP TO RWY 17R. THE CTLR CLRED THE ACFT 'Y BEHIND A BARRON SHORT FINAL CLRED TO LAND RWY 17R.' SHORTLY AFTER ACFT Y; I CALLED INBOUND ON FINAL RWY 17R VISUAL APCH. THE CTLR 'CLRED ACFT #2 CLRED TO LAND RWY 17R' (ABOUT 70-80 KTS OF CLOSURE/OVERTAKE). THE PLT OF ACFT Y ADVISED 'BRAKING OFF THE LOC FOR RWY 17R.' ACFT X WAS 1 - 1 1/2 MI BEHIND AND TO THE R. MYSELF AND ANOTHER CTLR STARTED YELLING AT THE CTLR TO 'CLB ACFT X.' THE CTLR TURNED ACFT Y TO THE E AND TURNED ACFT X TO THE R. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: THE FAA HAS FOR ABOUT 1 - 1 1/2 YRS STARTED CERTIFYING THESE STUDENTS ON POS WITH NO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE TRAINING TEAMS. THE FAA NEEDS TO FOLLOW THEIR OWN ORDERS! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 782951: APCH VECTORED ME TO HDG 270 DEGS (FROM 230 DEGS). SAID HE HAD MULTIPLE TFC. TWR THEN VECTORED ME TO HDG 250 DEGS; THEN 230 DEGS TO JOIN FINAL. SAID CLR TO LAND; #2; FOLLOWING ACFT Y. I HAD JOINED FINAL AT THIS TIME. I WAS AT NORMAL APCH SPD. HE LATER ASKED ME IF I HAD ACFT Y IN SIGHT. I SAID I DID NOT. I RECEIVED A TFC ALERT; BUT NOT RA. HE SAID TO CLB (OUT OF 2500 FT) TO 3000 FT AND EXECUTE A R 360 DEG TURN. HE THEN TOLD ACFT Y TO EXECUTE A L 360 DEG TURN. AT THE END OF MY 360 DEG TURN; HE CLRED ME TO LAND AHEAD OF ACFT Y THIS TIME. NORMALLY; I BELIEVE; IF YOU ARE EXPECTED TO FIND THE OTHER TFC; YOU ARE TOLD TO FOLLOW THE OTHER ACFT AND BEGIN TURN TO FINAL WHEN YOU HAVE A VISUAL AND CAN MAINTAIN SEPARATION AND YOU'RE OFTEN ASKED TO CONFIRM HE'S IN SIGHT. I BELIEVED THAT THE TWR WAS MAINTAINING SEPARATION BY THE VECTORS I WAS GIVEN. IT WAS VERY BRIGHT WITH THE SUN AHEAD AND TO THE R AND HAD HE ASKED ME TO MAINTAIN A VISUAL WITH THE TFC; I AM NOT SURE I COULD HAVE. I COULD HAVE TOLD HIM I DIDN'T HAVE THE OTHER TFC IN SIGHT WHEN HE CLRED ME TO LAND; BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S CUSTOMARY UNLESS YOU ARE TOLD TO FOLLOW THE TFC AND I BELIEVE IN A BUSY ENVIRONMENT THAT WOULD BE SAID TOO OFTEN AND IT IS NOT NECESSARY FOR THE PLT TO HAVE THE TFC IT'S FOLLOWING IN SIGHT IN A RADAR CTLED ENVIRONMENT UNLESS THE TWR OR CTLR INSTRUCTS. I BELIEVE THE APCH CTL AND TWR COULD HAVE KEPT ME ON THE WIDE VECTOR LONGER AND/OR TOLD ME TO MAINTAIN A LOWER SPD AND ANTICIPATED THE SPACING BETTER. I BELIEVE I COULD TELL THE PLT OF ACFT Y WAS IN TRAINING AND PERHAPS HE DID SOMETHING ODD TO SLOW HIS PATH TO THE RWY COMPARED TO NORMAL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.