Small aircraft cleared for takeoff with vehicle on runway. Operational error.

Attributes
ACN	165421
Time
Date	199009
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mic
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : holding
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	165421
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : rejected takeoff
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I am a controller at crystal tower. I was working ground control and controller B was working local (tower position). A pilot called us on the phone and stated he had lost his spinner cap on runway 31L and wished to retrieve it via a radio controled veh. A few mins later the veh radioed ground control for clearance onto runway 31L. I instructed the veh to hold short of runway 31L. Note: the radio veh had an off-duty controller in it, and he was talking on the veh radio. I coordination with local controller and she instructed me (ground control), 'ok runway 31L is now yours.' I transmitted to the veh to proceed onto runway 31L. The veh replied and proceeded onto runway 31L. Approximately 1 min thereafter, small aircraft X called tower ready for departure. Tower gave small aircraft X takeoff clearance on runway 31L. She stated 'aircraft identification, runway 31L cleared for takeoff.' small aircraft X subsequently taxied into position on runway 31L, then keyed up and stated, 'tower, I can't takeoff. There is a veh on the runway.' local controller immediately transmitted, 'I see that, hold short!' this was local controller's runway incursion and she made it sound like the veh was in error for being on the runway. Veh keyed up on ground control and stated, 'what is that small aircraft doing?' this is one incident of many by controller B.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CLEARED FOR TKOF WITH VEHICLE ON RWY. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: I AM A CTLR AT CRYSTAL TWR. I WAS WORKING GND CTL AND CTLR B WAS WORKING LCL (TWR POS). A PLT CALLED US ON THE PHONE AND STATED HE HAD LOST HIS SPINNER CAP ON RWY 31L AND WISHED TO RETRIEVE IT VIA A RADIO CTLED VEH. A FEW MINS LATER THE VEH RADIOED GND CTL FOR CLRNC ONTO RWY 31L. I INSTRUCTED THE VEH TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 31L. NOTE: THE RADIO VEH HAD AN OFF-DUTY CTLR IN IT, AND HE WAS TALKING ON THE VEH RADIO. I COORD WITH LCL CTLR AND SHE INSTRUCTED ME (GND CTL), 'OK RWY 31L IS NOW YOURS.' I XMITTED TO THE VEH TO PROCEED ONTO RWY 31L. THE VEH REPLIED AND PROCEEDED ONTO RWY 31L. APPROX 1 MIN THEREAFTER, SMA X CALLED TWR READY FOR DEP. TWR GAVE SMA X TKOF CLRNC ON RWY 31L. SHE STATED 'ACFT ID, RWY 31L CLRED FOR TKOF.' SMA X SUBSEQUENTLY TAXIED INTO POS ON RWY 31L, THEN KEYED UP AND STATED, 'TWR, I CAN'T TKOF. THERE IS A VEH ON THE RWY.' LCL CTLR IMMEDIATELY XMITTED, 'I SEE THAT, HOLD SHORT!' THIS WAS LCL CTLR'S RWY INCURSION AND SHE MADE IT SOUND LIKE THE VEH WAS IN ERROR FOR BEING ON THE RWY. VEH KEYED UP ON GND CTL AND STATED, 'WHAT IS THAT SMA DOING?' THIS IS ONE INCIDENT OF MANY BY CTLR B.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.