L30 controller described a probable loss of separation event between a departure and arrival to las;...

Narrative:

I was working the mead configuration 4 departure sector and aircraft X (B737) departed las on the COWBY4 departure. Aircraft Y (type unknown) was on an arrival to las. He was direct trrop way point and from there to turn west and onward on the arrival to mccarran. Aircraft Y shot through trrop way point into my departure corridor. I'm not positive; but I'm pretty sure minimum separation was lost between the two aircraft. Both the arrival sector and the final sector for runway 19L were overwhelmed with traffic. Also the separation between trrop way point and the sids off las is only 3.49 miles. Little room for error if a plane overshoots or encounters a problem. Recommendation; configuration 4 busy can be very overwhelming and complicated. To sequence for the arrival sector (lake sector) and to land for the final sector (satellite sector) to 19L on configuration 4; it is all done in very minimal airspace that becomes a funnel. Also trrop way point on the arrival into 19L/right into mccarran airport is approximately 3.49 miles from the SID's departing off runway 7. On configuration 4 all departures depart runway 7. If an aircraft slops through trrop just the slightest or has any sort of RNAV issue just prior to trrop it is inevitable that separation between a departure and that aircraft will be lost. In my opinion configuration 4 at L30 should definitely be looked at for review.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: L30 Controller described a probable loss of separation event between a departure and arrival to LAS; noting the Configuration 4 procedures provide only minimal separation between STAR/SID traffic and is need of review.

Narrative: I was working the Mead Configuration 4 Departure Sector and Aircraft X (B737) departed LAS on the COWBY4 Departure. Aircraft Y (type unknown) was on an arrival to LAS. He was direct TRROP way point and from there to turn West and onward on the arrival to McCarran. Aircraft Y shot through TRROP way point into my departure corridor. I'm not positive; but I'm pretty sure minimum separation was lost between the two aircraft. Both the arrival sector and the final sector for Runway 19L were overwhelmed with traffic. Also the separation between TRROP way point and the SIDs off LAS is only 3.49 miles. Little room for error if a plane overshoots or encounters a problem. Recommendation; Configuration 4 busy can be very overwhelming and complicated. To sequence for the arrival sector (Lake sector) and to land for the final sector (satellite sector) to 19L on configuration 4; it is all done in very minimal airspace that becomes a funnel. Also TRROP way point on the arrival into 19L/R into McCarran airport is approximately 3.49 miles from the SID's departing off Runway 7. On configuration 4 all departures depart Runway 7. If an aircraft slops through TRROP just the slightest or has any sort of RNAV issue just prior to TRROP it is inevitable that separation between a departure and that aircraft will be lost. In my opinion configuration 4 at L30 should definitely be looked at for review.

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.

Attributes
ACN	961528
Time
Date	201107
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	L30.TRACON
State Reference	NV
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Climb
Route In Use	SID COWBY4
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Super King Air 300
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	Direct
Person 1
Function	Approach
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Developmental
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

L30 controller described a probable loss of separation event between a departure and arrival to las; noting the configuration 4 procedures provide only minimal separation between STAR/SID traffic and is need of review.