Narrative:

We were working the syracuse and georgetown positions combined. The flight data radar and hand off positions were open; but the supervisor who was supposed to be working the positions was in the back; at his desk; doing some sort of paperwork; so I was stuffing strips and performing hand off duties while we were training. Aircraft X was north of the airport on vectors for a visual approach. The developmental was working the position and is nearing certification so I was trying to give him as much freedom as possible. Traffic had been very light and routine. Aircraft X was on vectors tight to the airport; about a 4 mile wide downwind level at 2500. Aircraft Y; a C208; departed IFR from runway 28 climbing to 4000 feet. Developmental identified him; climbed him to 9000 feet and turned him right to a 310 heading. The heading was a good heading to bring the C208 behind the much quicker lear and was a good aggressive heading and a good use of diverging courses between the two aircraft. I think the developmental was trying to show me how tight he could run the airplanes to impress me. Next he turned the wig to a 010 heading then quickly to a 030 heading. By now the wig had climbed out of 2000 feet and instead of being vectored behind the lear on the downwind; he had turned him more on a leading heading; therefore misapplying the rules of diverging courses. By the time I realized how tight he had gotten the two aircraft it was too late to stop what was happening. Because of the speed of the lear; compared to the climbing C208; I knew there could be real conflict between them and the lear was quickly moving away from the C208 because of his speed. Rather than issue quick turns to the aircraft and possible create more problems for the pilots; I opted to let the situation resolve itself. The hand off position should be staffed. The supervisors routinely assign themselves to the position and then leave to do other duties. We have complained about this on an ongoing basis but our complaints have fallen on deaf ears. I felt the trainee was nearing certification and I was trying to allow him as much latitude as possible and in hindsight I gave him too much.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SYR Controller providing OJT described a loss of separation event when the developmental failed to properly apply the diverging course rule; adding although the supervisor was signed on as a hand off; the position was not staffed.

Narrative: We were working the Syracuse and Georgetown positions combined. The Flight Data RADAR and hand off positions were open; but the supervisor who was supposed to be working the positions was in the back; at his desk; doing some sort of paperwork; so I was stuffing strips and performing hand off duties while we were training. Aircraft X was north of the airport on vectors for a visual approach. The developmental was working the position and is nearing certification so I was trying to give him as much freedom as possible. Traffic had been very light and routine. Aircraft X was on vectors tight to the airport; about a 4 mile wide downwind level at 2500. Aircraft Y; a C208; departed IFR from Runway 28 climbing to 4000 feet. Developmental identified him; climbed him to 9000 feet and turned him right to a 310 heading. The heading was a good heading to bring the C208 behind the much quicker Lear and was a good aggressive heading and a good use of diverging courses between the two aircraft. I think the developmental was trying to show me how tight he could run the airplanes to impress me. Next he turned the wig to a 010 heading then quickly to a 030 heading. By now the wig had climbed out of 2000 feet and instead of being vectored behind the Lear on the downwind; he had turned him more on a leading heading; therefore misapplying the rules of diverging courses. By the time I realized how tight he had gotten the two aircraft it was too late to stop what was happening. Because of the speed of the Lear; compared to the climbing C208; I knew there could be real conflict between them and the Lear was quickly moving away from the C208 because of his speed. Rather than issue quick turns to the aircraft and possible create more problems for the pilots; I opted to let the situation resolve itself. The hand off position should be staffed. The supervisors routinely assign themselves to the position and then leave to do other duties. We have complained about this on an ongoing basis but our complaints have fallen on deaf ears. I felt the trainee was nearing certification and I was trying to allow him as much latitude as possible and in hindsight I gave him too much.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.