Less than standard separation between military fgt and small aircraft GA aircraft. Operational error...

Attributes
ACN	99463
Time
Date	198811
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : elp
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : elp
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	99463
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Fgt X departed runway 26L at elp airport on a heading of 200 with an unrestricted climb to 170. Small aircraft Y was an overflt at 110 eastbound and approximately 4 mi southwest of the airport. I did not issue an altitude restriction to X because of aircraft Y's high altitude and close proximity to the airport. There was no doubt in my mind that vertical separation would be maintained. While vectoring two aircraft for sequence to runway 26L, fgt X made an accelerated climb to 170, passing through the altitude of small aircraft Y. The conflict alert warned me of the situation, but there was no time for corrective action. Fgt X climb was abnormal for a military departure so close to the airport. A recurrence can be prevented by issuing an altitude restriction regardless of the aircraft proximity to the airport or establishing an understanding between pilot/controller that if an accelerated climb will be conducted that the pilot notify the controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN MIL FGT AND SMA GA ACFT. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: FGT X DEPARTED RWY 26L AT ELP ARPT ON A HEADING OF 200 WITH AN UNRESTRICTED CLB TO 170. SMA Y WAS AN OVERFLT AT 110 EBND AND APPROX 4 MI SW OF THE ARPT. I DID NOT ISSUE AN ALT RESTRICTION TO X BECAUSE OF ACFT Y'S HIGH ALT AND CLOSE PROX TO THE ARPT. THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT VERTICAL SEPARATION WOULD BE MAINTAINED. WHILE VECTORING TWO ACFT FOR SEQUENCE TO RWY 26L, FGT X MADE AN ACCELERATED CLB TO 170, PASSING THROUGH THE ALT OF SMA Y. THE CONFLICT ALERT WARNED ME OF THE SITUATION, BUT THERE WAS NO TIME FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION. FGT X CLB WAS ABNORMAL FOR A MIL DEPARTURE SO CLOSE TO THE ARPT. A RECURRENCE CAN BE PREVENTED BY ISSUING AN ALT RESTRICTION REGARDLESS OF THE ACFT PROX TO THE ARPT OR ESTABLISHING AN UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN PLT/CTLR THAT IF AN ACCELERATED CLB WILL BE CONDUCTED THAT THE PLT NOTIFY THE CTLR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.