Narrative:

I was working local control. 2 aircraft were told to taxi into position on runway 29. An small aircraft at midfield, then small aircraft X at the end. Air carrier Y was on 3 mi final, traffic rolling out on the runway. I cleared the small aircraft for takeoff, right turn heading 330, then cleared small aircraft X for an immediate takeoff runway heading. Small aircraft X was just on the edge of the runway when cleared and air carrier Y on 1 1/2 mi final. As he (small aircraft X) lifted off, I issued a right turn heading 320 'as soon as practical.' air carrier Y was landing as small aircraft X took off, and would have passed directly underneath on the runway if small aircraft X had not started the turn immediately. Air carrier Y captain called the tower after landing and said he had not seen small aircraft X rolling, only the small aircraft. But his copilot had. He was concerned about what he would have done on a go around or if small aircraft X had aborted. I have been working mostly in the TRACON recently in training for chkout, and working tower afterwards for seasoning, and have not been very busy on local when I have worked. I was not paying enough attention to small aircraft X position, or air carrier Y's speed on final. I should have gotten small aircraft X off the runway, or sent air carrier Y around, earlier on. Once air carrier Y was on short final and small aircraft X was rolling, I felt it would be safer for air carrier Y to land rather than to attempt a go around given the aircraft's position. Although my decisions were at fault, I think that the pilot and copilot should have communicated better as to the traffic each saw, and if the copilot was in doubt as to the safety reference small aircraft X, he has the responsibility and authority to take the plane and execute a go around. I plan to ask for more even assignments of tower, TRACON time, and to be very careful to run my traffic safely and orderly before expeditiously.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LANDS JUST AS AN SMA LIFTS OFF RESULTING IN LTSS BTWN THE 2 ACFTS.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING LCL CTL. 2 ACFT WERE TOLD TO TAXI INTO POS ON RWY 29. AN SMA AT MIDFIELD, THEN SMA X AT THE END. ACR Y WAS ON 3 MI FINAL, TFC ROLLING OUT ON THE RWY. I CLRED THE SMA FOR TKOF, R TURN HDG 330, THEN CLRED SMA X FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF RWY HDG. SMA X WAS JUST ON THE EDGE OF THE RWY WHEN CLRED AND ACR Y ON 1 1/2 MI FINAL. AS HE (SMA X) LIFTED OFF, I ISSUED A R TURN HDG 320 'AS SOON AS PRACTICAL.' ACR Y WAS LNDG AS SMA X TOOK OFF, AND WOULD HAVE PASSED DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH ON THE RWY IF SMA X HAD NOT STARTED THE TURN IMMEDIATELY. ACR Y CAPT CALLED THE TWR AFTER LNDG AND SAID HE HAD NOT SEEN SMA X ROLLING, ONLY THE SMA. BUT HIS COPLT HAD. HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HE WOULD HAVE DONE ON A GAR OR IF SMA X HAD ABORTED. I HAVE BEEN WORKING MOSTLY IN THE TRACON RECENTLY IN TRAINING FOR CHKOUT, AND WORKING TWR AFTERWARDS FOR SEASONING, AND HAVE NOT BEEN VERY BUSY ON LCL WHEN I HAVE WORKED. I WAS NOT PAYING ENOUGH ATTN TO SMA X POS, OR ACR Y'S SPD ON FINAL. I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN SMA X OFF THE RWY, OR SENT ACR Y AROUND, EARLIER ON. ONCE ACR Y WAS ON SHORT FINAL AND SMA X WAS ROLLING, I FELT IT WOULD BE SAFER FOR ACR Y TO LAND RATHER THAN TO ATTEMPT A GAR GIVEN THE ACFT'S POS. ALTHOUGH MY DECISIONS WERE AT FAULT, I THINK THAT THE PLT AND COPLT SHOULD HAVE COMMUNICATED BETTER AS TO THE TFC EACH SAW, AND IF THE COPLT WAS IN DOUBT AS TO THE SAFETY REF SMA X, HE HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY TO TAKE THE PLANE AND EXECUTE A GAR. I PLAN TO ASK FOR MORE EVEN ASSIGNMENTS OF TWR, TRACON TIME, AND TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO RUN MY TFC SAFELY AND ORDERLY BEFORE EXPEDITIOUSLY.

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.