PHL TRACON CTLR EXPERIENCED LOSS OF SEPARATION INCIDENT AT 4000 FT DURING VECTORS FOR VISUAL APCHS WHEN DISTR BY SHIP CHANNEL MOVEMENTS.

Narrative

I WAS WORKING FINAL VECTOR AT PHL TRACON. I HAD 7 AIRPLANES ON THE FREQ. I WAS WORKING ACR X WHO WAS TOLD TO EXPECT A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26 BY THE S ARR CTLR. AT THE SAME TIME I HEAR THE SUPVR YELL DOWN THE ROOM THAT THERE IS SHIP IN THE CHANNEL FOR RWY 35 IN 25 MINS. I THEN GET TOLD TO GET READY BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A LOT OF RWY 26 ARRS COMING TO YOU. NOW THIS IS WHERE THE CONFUSION BEGINS. I TURN TO THE S ARR CTLR AND ASKED HIM WHY AREN'T THIS REGIONAL JETS AND DASH 8 TAKING RWY 35 TO METER ALL THE INBOUND TFC. HIS RESPONSE WAS; THERE IS A SHIP IN THE CHANNEL. I THEN RESPOND BACK AND SAID; 'I HEARD 25 MINS.' BY THIS TIME IT IS TOO LATE TO RE-SEQUENCE ACFT WHO CAN TAKE RWY 35 BACK OVER FROM THE DOWNWIND THAT I WAS WORKING. HE THEN PROCEEDS IN ASKING THE SUPVR WHAT IS GOING ON; 'IS THERE A SHIP IN THE CHANNEL OR NOT?' THE SUPVR WHO JUST TOOK OVER FROM THE MID SUPVR RESPONDS BY SAYING; '25 MINS.' WHILE I'M WORKING FINAL VECTOR I START TALKING TO ACR X. I ASK HIM TO EXPECT VECTORS ACROSS FINAL FOR SPACING AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT. I TURN HIM ON A 240 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE LOC AND ASK HIM TO RPT THE ARPT IN SIGHT. BY THIS POINT I'M EXPECTING TO GET ALL THE INBOUND TFC WHO COULD TAKE RWY 35 WHO WILL NOW GO TO RWY 26 SINCE 20 MINS HAVE GONE BY. ACR X CALLS AND ASKS; 'CAN I GET LOWER?' BY THIS POINT I WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE I HAD THOUGHT I HAD CLRED HIM FOR THE VISUAL APCH. BY THE TIME I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED; ACR X HAD A CONFLICT ALERT WITH ACR Y WHO WAS AT 4000 FT ON THE R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 35.