Narrative:

I was working the combined positions of ground and local control. This is a common occurrence since abq has been chronically short staffed for months. Traffic volume was high; with a complex mix of slow single engine cessnas; military helicopters; and fighter jets performing practice approaches. Numerous pilots also had special requests on multiple frequencies. I cleared aircraft X to land on runway 3; which converges with; but does not intersect; runway 8. Abq has a local facility restriction; known as 'converging runway operations' which restricts an aircraft from departing runway 8 while another lands on runway 3. Aircraft Y had been holding short of runway 8 waiting for departure for almost ten minutes. I cleared aircraft Y for takeoff and misjudged the timing for when aircraft X was over the runway 3 threshold. I believed aircraft X had not crossed the runway threshold while aircraft Y was performing its takeoff roll. Unfortunately; aircraft Y appeared to be over the landing threshold.in addition; my classroom instructor was in the tower cab with another student. The instructor attempted to engage me in conversation about converging runway operations; and I found this to be a distraction; which I attempted to ignore as best I could.although aircraft Y had waited a significant amount of time at the runway; I could have instructed the pilots with special requests to hold in order to allow aircraft Y to depart earlier; or I could have held aircraft Y until the final approach courses for both runways 8 and 3 were clear of all airplanes before allowing aircraft Y to start its takeoff roll.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Albuquerque Tower Controller reported an unsafe operation due to timing. Reporter departed an aircraft while another was over the threshold of converging runway operation.

Narrative: I was working the combined positions of Ground and Local control. This is a common occurrence since ABQ has been chronically short staffed for months. Traffic volume was high; with a complex mix of slow single engine Cessnas; military helicopters; and fighter jets performing practice approaches. Numerous pilots also had special requests on multiple frequencies. I cleared Aircraft X to land on runway 3; which converges with; but does not intersect; runway 8. ABQ has a local facility restriction; known as 'Converging Runway Operations' which restricts an aircraft from departing runway 8 while another lands on runway 3. Aircraft Y had been holding short of runway 8 waiting for departure for almost ten minutes. I cleared Aircraft Y for takeoff and misjudged the timing for when Aircraft X was over the runway 3 threshold. I believed Aircraft X had not crossed the runway threshold while Aircraft Y was performing its takeoff roll. Unfortunately; Aircraft Y appeared to be over the landing threshold.In addition; my classroom instructor was in the tower cab with another student. The instructor attempted to engage me in conversation about converging runway operations; and I found this to be a distraction; which I attempted to ignore as best I could.Although Aircraft Y had waited a significant amount of time at the runway; I could have instructed the pilots with special requests to hold in order to allow Aircraft Y to depart earlier; or I could have held Aircraft Y until the final approach courses for both runways 8 and 3 were clear of all airplanes before allowing Aircraft Y to start its takeoff roll.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.