Commercial Fixed Wing
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
I was vectoring Air Carrier X to Runway 9R. I was told to follow Air Carrier Y who was being vectored on a 360 heading by another Controller to Runway 10 (a parallel runway that is not far enough apart from 9R to run simultaneous approaches without monitors.) I was on a heading to pass behind and follow Air Carrier Y. Air Carrier Y had equipment issues that wasn't going to let it taxi off the runway upon landing. When the other Controller told Air Carrier Y to turn to a 070 heading to join the localizer; the pilot told her that he was not yet ready to land. The other Controller then turned Air Carrier Y to the right to a heading of 120. The pilot read this turn back but didn't take it. She then turned him right to a heading of 180. The pilot read this turn back as well but didn't state that he was making a right turn. Air Carrier Y appeared to be in a left turn when the pilot asked the other Controller to verify that he was supposed to be in a left turn to a 180 heading. At this point I and the other Controller tried to get both aircraft to report the other in sight. Both aircraft reported the traffic in sight; but when told to maintain visual separation Air Carrier Y didn't reply with a call sign and Air Carrier X didn't reply at all. I feel that if the pilot had done what he was instructed to do there would not have been a loss of separation.
C90 reported a probable loss of separation event when two air carriers being vectored for parallel runways; one with equipment issues; failed to properly acknowledge a 'maintain visual separation' instruction.