Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 28
Training / Qualification
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Human Factors; Procedure
Weather was VMC. North Operation. Aircraft X; called southeast of the airport requesting clearance through the Class B airspace en-route toward Manassas Tower's airspace. IAD TWR Local Control 1 (LC1); radar identified the aircraft and gave him a clearance to enter the Class B airspace. As Aircraft X proceeded westbound toward the IAD Runway 1R final; LC1 issued traffic to Aircraft X - - Aircraft Y; descending on final to RY1R. Aircraft X subsequently reported the aircraft in sight and told LC1 that he'd pass behind the aircraft. LC1 approved the operation and gave a wake turbulence advisory to Aircraft X; but did not tell Aircraft X to maintain visual separation from the aircraft. Aircraft X then passed directly behind the jet only 900 FT below and .49 mile behind the aircraft. The separation standard is 5 miles behind and 1;000 FT below [this type] jet. By not using the correct phraseology prescribed in 7110.65; 7-2-1 Visual Separation; LC1 then failed to provide the required radar wake turbulence separation; small behind a heavy; as described in 7110.65; 5-5-4. LC1 also did not advise Aircraft Y about Aircraft X converging and crossing underneath him. A manually written flight progress strip for Aircraft X; required by SOP; was not found. The LC1 Controller does not have a radar background and received no RTF type training. Had he had the proper training; he probably would have provided the correct radar separation until having Aircraft X maintain visual separation behind the jet. He also would have probably exchanged traffic; as most radar controllers know to do. This loss of separation is directly attributable to the LC1's lack of radar training. Please review the attached Camtasia video.1. IPM for the LC1 controller.2. Safety Assurance Alert Bulletin on application of visual separation.3. Inclusion of a sanitized version of the video in academics.4. Simulator scenarios that emphasize the Class B separation requirements prior to proper application of visual separation.5. Most important - - RTF type training for local controllers at towers with radar/Class B airspace.
Reporter describes situation where a Local Controller does not use the prescribed separation between two aircraft and has an operational error.