Narrative:

I was working local control at mke tower at the time of this incident. Runway 7R was in use for arrs with some departures on runway 19R at mke (milwaukee mitchell). The WX was IFR with the ceiling around 200' and a visibility of 1/2 mi. Runway 7R visual range was around 3000'. Aircraft XXX was landing on runway 7R. YYY was holding in position on runway 19R awaiting XXX to clear runways 7R and 19R. Once XXX reported on the ground, I asked the pilot to advise where he cleared runway 7R. The pilot advised he was clear of runway 7R on taxiway right. Taxiway right is parallel to runway 19R. With XXX on taxiway right the taxi route for the aircraft would not cross runway 19R at any point. Therefore, his ground movements would not conflict with runway 19R operations. I then cleared YYY for takeoff on runway 19R. Several seconds later the pilot of XXX advised that he was on runway 19R. I immediately went to YYY and cancelled his takeoff clearance. YYY acknowledged my transmission. Several seconds past and XXX reported clear of runway 19R. My supervisor was advised of the incident. Other: I believe a contributing factor in this incident is the poor runway and taxiway signs posted on mke airport. For a major air carrier airport the runway and taxiway are unclear or nonexistent. During periods of restr visibility aircraft are impossible to see from the control tower. With mke not having asde (airport surface detection equipment) controllers have to rely on PIREPS for their position on the airport. Without accurate position reports disaster can result.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF MLT ERRONEOUSLY REPORTED HIS POSITION ON ARPT. WAS ON RWY WHEN TWR CTLR CLEARED MLG FOR TKOF THAT RWY.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING LCL CTL AT MKE TWR AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT. RWY 7R WAS IN USE FOR ARRS WITH SOME DEPS ON RWY 19R AT MKE (MILWAUKEE MITCHELL). THE WX WAS IFR WITH THE CEILING AROUND 200' AND A VISIBILITY OF 1/2 MI. RWY 7R VISUAL RANGE WAS AROUND 3000'. ACFT XXX WAS LNDG ON RWY 7R. YYY WAS HOLDING IN POSITION ON RWY 19R AWAITING XXX TO CLEAR RWYS 7R AND 19R. ONCE XXX REPORTED ON THE GND, I ASKED THE PLT TO ADVISE WHERE HE CLRED RWY 7R. THE PLT ADVISED HE WAS CLEAR OF RWY 7R ON TXWY R. TXWY R IS PARALLEL TO RWY 19R. WITH XXX ON TXWY R THE TAXI ROUTE FOR THE ACFT WOULD NOT CROSS RWY 19R AT ANY POINT. THEREFORE, HIS GND MOVEMENTS WOULD NOT CONFLICT WITH RWY 19R OPERATIONS. I THEN CLRED YYY FOR TKOF ON RWY 19R. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER THE PLT OF XXX ADVISED THAT HE WAS ON RWY 19R. I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO YYY AND CANCELLED HIS TKOF CLRNC. YYY ACKNOWLEDGED MY XMISSION. SEVERAL SECONDS PAST AND XXX REPORTED CLEAR OF RWY 19R. MY SUPVR WAS ADVISED OF THE INCIDENT. OTHER: I BELIEVE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT IS THE POOR RWY AND TXWY SIGNS POSTED ON MKE ARPT. FOR A MAJOR AIR CARRIER ARPT THE RWY AND TXWY ARE UNCLEAR OR NONEXISTENT. DURING PERIODS OF RESTR VISIBILITY ACFT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE FROM THE CTL TWR. WITH MKE NOT HAVING ASDE (ARPT SURFACE DETECTION EQUIPMENT) CTLRS HAVE TO RELY ON PIREPS FOR THEIR POSITION ON THE ARPT. WITHOUT ACCURATE POSITION REPORTS DISASTER CAN RESULT.

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.