Bonanza 36
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Procedure
I was working RADAR at ABI Approach and also CIC combined in the Tower off of a D-Brite. The Tower was being worked by another controller. Local and Ground were combined. Due to runway closures; the arrivals were being sequenced to one runway; Runway 17L. The Tower Controller had a Warrior in closed traffic on Runway 17L. I was working two VFR arrivals; a Bonanza inbound from the southwest and a Cirrus inbound from the southeast. A Bonanza was about 5 miles ahead of a Cirrus so I put him on Tower 15 miles southwest of ABI. Several minutes later I switched the Cirrus to the Tower frequency (when he was 15 miles southeast of ABI.) The Cirrus started showing a slight overtake; so I told Local about it and that the Cirrus was slowly closing the gap. While these arrivals were inbound; Local was working the Warrior in closed traffic. Both The Bonanza and the Cirrus were cleared to land with no sequence or traffic information. They checked on and were cleared them to land. The Bonanza was 6 miles southwest of ABI as the Warrior lifted off of the runway. The Warrior was told to make right closed traffic; Local turning him in front of the Bonanza. The Bonanza was at 4;100 indicating 180 KTS. The Warrior was flying his patterns at approximately 80 KTS. I expected the Local Controller to recognize the conflict with the Bonanza overtaking the Warrior. Local did not. The Bonanza appeared to be with in 2 miles of the Warrior; but was looking at a 60 mile map on the D-Brite with a considerable overtake. I told the Local Controller to take corrective action. Local responded with telling the Bonanza to make a 360 and telling the warrior to extend downwind. The Bonanza read back that they would make a LEFT 360. By the time the Bonanza got into the turn he appeared to be within a mile of the Warrior. While this was going on; the Cirrus was still on downwind and had slowed to 100 KTS. An IFR Saratoga called ready for departure on an approximate 300 heading. The Local Controller told him to hold short. Local procedures allow Local Control to clear IFR departures heading west bound on a 'canned' heading of 200 with no coordination. I waited a minute and asked why we were delaying the IFR aircraft. There was ZERO reason he shouldn't have been cleared for take off. The Local Controller responded with because I need to get him northwest.' I said; 'no; he is IFR.' I; being the RADAR Controller; needed to get him northwest. I told Local to clear him on the 'canned' heading of 200. Local cleared the Saratoga for take off on runway heading. While this was going on I was working a regional jet arrival from the northeast. The Local Controller had given no traffic information; no sequence information; so I turned the regional jet to a west bound heading; squaring his base; to give Local time to sort out the 3 airplanes. By this time the Cirrus had landed number 1. The Bonanza was number 2. The Warrior was still northbound on the 'extended downwind' issued. The Warrior was northbound out of Local's airspace and into Approach Airspace; so Local pointed him out to me; saying 'RADAR; Local; local point out; the Warrior on and extended downwind.' I responded with; 'Point out approved.' There was a level 4 or 5 weather cell 11 miles north of the airport that Local was running the Warrior; a student pilot; right into. Local never issued him weather information even though it was clearly depicted on the RADAR display. By now; the Saratoga was 5 miles south of ABI. He checked on the Tower frequency; saying; 'The Saratoga is still runway heading.' Local had clearly forgotten about the aircraft and after that call; turned the aircraft to a 200 and switched him to me (departure.) At this point; the Warrior was still northbound; so I turned the regional jet further north to keep him away from Warrior. I finally said; 'if you don't turn that Warrior in; I am going to have a hell of a time staying behind him with the regional jet.' Local responded with; 'oh the regional jet is number 1.' I thought Local was extending the Warrior to get behind Bonanza and Cirrus. Local never said he/she was trying to follow the regional jet I was working. I cleared the regional jet for the visual and switched them to Tower. After it was over Local said; 'Well that all worked out pretty good.' I responded with; 'I don't know what you were watching; but that was nasty.' I told Local I was going to talk to the supervisor about it. The issued I have as CIC during this event are as follows; Local cleared multiple aircraft to land on one runway with no traffic or sequence information. Local let a Bonanza with a considerable over take; close in on a Warrior. As CIC; I had to tell Local to take corrective action. Local delayed an IFR departure for absolutely no reason. After I told Local to clear the IFR departure; he/she forgot about the aircraft until he question still being on runway heading. Local's poor coordination about Warrior led to me turning a regional jet away from the airport twice; unnecessarily delaying aircraft. Local was extending Warrior; a student pilot; into significant weather without telling him about it. I have been reluctant to say anything because the Controller in question has in the past threatened to file formal complaints. This Controller gets preferential treatment from management. No controller wants to work with this individual. We have requested over and over again that we not be put in the Tower with this Controller without direct supervision. The Controller is dangerous and needs to be decertified. I have never seen a controller this incapable. There is an issue every week with FPL's doing our best to catch the mistakes; but we are all concerned eventually one will slip though.
Approach Controller provided a detailed report on an unsafe condition alleging the Local Controller involved created a number of unsafe conditions needing immediate managerial reviews.