Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 2.3
Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion; Training / Qualification
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Weather; Procedure; Human Factors
Approaching XA:00 at ZZZ; the weather was deteriorating. ILS to runway 13 approach was in use. Visibility was down to 1/2SM; the RVR was hovering around 1;800 feet; and the ceiling was VV008. I was working the radar position; combined with CIC; while both local and ground were staffed behind me in the TRACAB. We had a fair amount of traffic for how bad the weather was becoming. The ground controller was a trainee certified on ground; and the local controller was a trainee recently certified on local. As a CIC; I was trying as much as possible to pay attention to what they had going on; especially considering the state of the weather. The weather had become bad enough that we had trouble seeing more than a few taxiways and the runway intersection out the window. I hadn't heard the ground and local controllers asking pilots for position reports; which is common when the visibility is poor enough; so as CIC I said; 'don't be afraid to ask the pilots for position reports if you need to;' to which the local controller responded; 'Yeah; I know;' or something to that effect. The center-line and touch-down zone lights were out of service for the runway in use; and we were having a new and potential issue with the runway edge lighting; so I was on extra high alert given the weather.Shortly after this [Aircraft Y] on a 4.5 mile final doing about 150kts and on tower frequency; the local controller cleared [Aircraft X] for takeoff. Runway heading was issued as required by the SOP. Traffic calls were not issued to either aircraft; and [Aircraft X] was not asked to report rolling. The local controller was looking out the window; waiting to observe [Aircraft X] departure. [Aircraft Y] was approaching a two mile final and we still had not observed the departure of [Aircraft X]. Somewhere around this time I told the local controller to tell [Aircraft X] to report departure roll. This was either not heard or it was immediately after that we 'heard' [Aircraft X] departing; which then showed up on radar. When [Aircraft X] came off the departure end and was radar identified by me; I'm not really sure that the required two miles increasing to three separation was insured. Had [Aircraft Y] gone around; (we had already had a one jet go around earlier in the shift) it would have certainly been a close call. For me; there are two issues at work here. First of all; we have just recently had our first trainees certify on local since I was certified as CIC two years ago. I am trying to get used to the idea of being in charge while newly certified people are working without direct supervision. This can also be difficult as CIC is almost always combined with another position. Newer controllers will make more mistakes than their peers after being checked out; which is normal; and everyone learns from that. There is also the interpersonal issue of a younger controller (myself) giving suggestions while acting as CIC to an older controller. I have worked with the controller who was staffing the local position at the time long enough to know that they do not take feedback well. This is difficult to mix with the learning curve of being CIC. I do think it's important to 'pick your battles;' and try to find what's really worth addressing and what isn't.My issue with this incident is I feel like it could have developed into something worse. We were just waiting with fingers crossed to see if [Aircraft X] came off in time without taking corrective action. I could have told the local controller to issue a turn as soon as possible; or have issued that turn myself when the [Aircraft X] called up on departure. The local controller could have made this a safer operation by calling traffic and asking the [Aircraft X] to report departure roll. This was not done.
A CIC reported of a shift where he was in charge and the weather was IFR at the Airport. They could not see the departure or arrival and they thought they had a loss of separation.