Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 4.4
Time Pressure; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Procedure; Human Factors; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings
I just arrived at the position for a morning shift. First transmission of the day; after a relief briefing from the midnight crew. I had two departures; one off Runway 23L and one off 23R Aircraft X off RWY 23L on an assigned heading 210 with a first fix of CVG which is approximately a 140 degree heading; and Aircraft Y off Runway 23R on runway heading; with the MAREO3 departure; a 080 heading; with Aircraft X a couple miles ahead. This is a somewhat common practice on the midnight shift to expedite traffic; with the 23R runway heading departure getting a right turn over the airport to the east. This practice is almost exclusively for [name removed] aircraft only. I turned Aircraft Y left direct MAREO intersection which turned Aircraft Y into Aircraft X's flight path. I had not sat down yet and the preference sets were still from the previous controller; which confused me. We have automatic leader direction changes in our stars equipment here and I made a terrible assumption that Aircraft Y was off Runway 23L; not runway 23R. There had been no previous coordination from the tower or in the briefing of this unusual operation. I sat down; changed to my preference sets and immediately recognized the error. I instructed Aircraft Y to remain on runway heading and turned Aircraft X to a 140 heading. I watched both targets and their tracks to see if Aircraft Y had turned. It appeared to me that they hadn't.    Upon arriving at work today I was informed that Traffic Analysis and Review Program (TARP) had gone off and Aircraft Y had started a left turn; and I had an operational error. I would like to have the stars equipment offset the leaders from all parallel runways to the direction away from the airport from that runway to eliminate confusion. Side by side departures off Runway 23; where the data tags overlap always crisscross; which I have never liked. I would also recommend mandatory coordination for this type of midnight operation.
IND Controller describes a loss of separation due to an aircraft turning later than expected and a midnight shift procedure that runs aircraft close together. Discussion about the direction of leader lines and possible offsets were recommended by the Controller.