Helicopter
Air Traffic Control Developmental
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors
The Class C was open on Runways 18L/R. Right before the event; I was relieving the controller on West RADAR. During the oral briefing; a neighboring Class D called for an IFR release off of Runway 35. The Controller I was relieving put what he thought was the right strip in front of him and said the aircraft was released climbing to 4;000 FT MSL. I assumed the position and watched for the target to come off of the Class D. After I observed a target departing from the Class D; Local called to APREQ a downwind departure on a helicopter IFR. I said it was approved. Right after the Class D Tower called for a release on a C550; who we; I and the Associate Controller; thought had already been released since that was the strip with 4;000 written on it in front of me. The Associate Controller said he already had a release climbing to 4;000. At that time we realized the other aircraft that departed the Class D first was on the wrong code and had not tagged up yet. The Class D Tower called back and said it was a PA28 on the wrong code. I found the strip for the PA28 and when the pilot finally contacted me about 5 miles north of the Class D airport and I had him squawk the right code to identify him. The helicopter then came off Runway 18L heading 030 degrees climbing to 5;000 FT. Then the C550 came off of the Class D heading 350 degrees climbing to 4;000 FT. I immediately turned the helicopter to a 360 degree heading to turn him away from the C550 and turned the C550 to a 090 degree heading after I RADAR identified him.  Separation was lost at about 2.5 miles and 400 FT. When the Class D Tower calls for a release; make sure the correct strip is in front of the RADAR Controller.
[Narrative #2 contained no additional information.]
TRACON Controller working RADAR Associate position described a loss of separation event when the wrong IFR departure strip was placed in front of the RADAR Controller leading to confusion and the subsequent separation error.