Narrative:

I was working local control; we had split lcls. I was working the VOR runway 13L approachs and occasional runway 13L departures and runway 22L arrs. The other controller was working runway 13R departures. Atx X was touching down. I instructed atx Y to taxi into position and hold. He advised he was already in position. I advised my supervisor and was relieved of the position. After listening to the tapes I realized that I had placed atx Y into position and hold runway 13L and had not indicated on the strip that he was in position. I scanned the runway before atx X landed over atx Y, but my view of the approach end of runway 13L was blocked by a widebody transport taxiing out for departure runway 13L. The pilot of atx X called the tower later and stated to the controller who answered that he did not see the atx Y holding in position till he was committed and then landed runway 13L. An operational error was filed with the FAA, as well as a pilot deviation for the pilot of atx X. I believe the incident occurred for several reasons: I allowed my attention to be diverted from my regular routine of marking the strips as I issue instructions and my view of the approach end of the runway being blocked. Supplemental information from acn 114849: ATC X was on a VOR approach to runway 13L at jfk. We were cleared to land, after we verified it on short final. We overflew an aircraft that was taxied onto position. We did not hear that ATC transmission and never saw the aircraft, for it was a small light transport that was obscured in the bright approach lights of a fairly long displaced threshold. The controller did not indicate in any way of any conflict at any time. I landed the aircraft midfield west/O any occurrence, only to find out later, by other aircraft's xmissions awaiting takeoff on that runway, of the situation that had transpired. Supplemental information from acn 115116: cleared into position 13L jfk. Stopped in position for 45 seconds when another commuter flew over top and landed. Controller then said, 'position and hold.' I replied, 'already cleared in position and holding.' other aircraft taxied off active west/O a word and controller replied, 'we're marking tape.'

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX X LANDED OVER ATX Y WHO WAS HOLDING IN POSITION. SYSTEM ERROR. PLT DEVIATION.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING LCL CTL; WE HAD SPLIT LCLS. I WAS WORKING THE VOR RWY 13L APCHS AND OCCASIONAL RWY 13L DEPS AND RWY 22L ARRS. THE OTHER CTLR WAS WORKING RWY 13R DEPS. ATX X WAS TOUCHING DOWN. I INSTRUCTED ATX Y TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD. HE ADVISED HE WAS ALREADY IN POS. I ADVISED MY SUPVR AND WAS RELIEVED OF THE POS. AFTER LISTENING TO THE TAPES I REALIZED THAT I HAD PLACED ATX Y INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 13L AND HAD NOT INDICATED ON THE STRIP THAT HE WAS IN POS. I SCANNED THE RWY BEFORE ATX X LANDED OVER ATX Y, BUT MY VIEW OF THE APCH END OF RWY 13L WAS BLOCKED BY A WDB TAXIING OUT FOR DEP RWY 13L. THE PLT OF ATX X CALLED THE TWR LATER AND STATED TO THE CTLR WHO ANSWERED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE ATX Y HOLDING IN POS TILL HE WAS COMMITTED AND THEN LANDED RWY 13L. AN OPERROR WAS FILED WITH THE FAA, AS WELL AS A PLTDEV FOR THE PLT OF ATX X. I BELIEVE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED FOR SEVERAL REASONS: I ALLOWED MY ATTN TO BE DIVERTED FROM MY REGULAR ROUTINE OF MARKING THE STRIPS AS I ISSUE INSTRUCTIONS AND MY VIEW OF THE APCH END OF THE RWY BEING BLOCKED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 114849: ATC X WAS ON A VOR APCH TO RWY 13L AT JFK. WE WERE CLRED TO LAND, AFTER WE VERIFIED IT ON SHORT FINAL. WE OVERFLEW AN ACFT THAT WAS TAXIED ONTO POS. WE DID NOT HEAR THAT ATC XMISSION AND NEVER SAW THE ACFT, FOR IT WAS A SMALL LTT THAT WAS OBSCURED IN THE BRIGHT APCH LIGHTS OF A FAIRLY LONG DISPLACED THRESHOLD. THE CTLR DID NOT INDICATE IN ANY WAY OF ANY CONFLICT AT ANY TIME. I LANDED THE ACFT MIDFIELD W/O ANY OCCURRENCE, ONLY TO FIND OUT LATER, BY OTHER ACFT'S XMISSIONS AWAITING TKOF ON THAT RWY, OF THE SITUATION THAT HAD TRANSPIRED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 115116: CLRED INTO POS 13L JFK. STOPPED IN POS FOR 45 SECS WHEN ANOTHER COMMUTER FLEW OVER TOP AND LANDED. CTLR THEN SAID, 'POS AND HOLD.' I REPLIED, 'ALREADY CLRED IN POS AND HOLDING.' OTHER ACFT TAXIED OFF ACTIVE W/O A WORD AND CTLR REPLIED, 'WE'RE MARKING TAPE.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.