Narrative:

I was working light traffic, 4 departures waiting for clearance, 2 arrs on the scope. Air carrier X landed runway 13L, an large transport waiting for departure was taxied into position awaiting clearance. I issued turn-off instructions to the air carrier X via the high speed turn-off, which he acknowledged. I glanced at the radar to ascertain the position of an arrival on a different runway, determined he was no factor for my departure and cleared the large transport for takeoff. When the air carrier X was given the turn-off instructions, a glance confirmed he was committed to the assigned intersection and clearing the runway. As I cleared the large transport for takeoff I noted air carrier X in a position not consistent with his instructions. At night, this turn-off area is very difficult to see clearly, ramp lights and other obscurations are severe. Unsure of the air carrier X position, I cancelled the large transport's takeoff clearance. I asked the air carrier X his position, and he stated he was clear of the runway. I determined at this point he was at a turnoff 1500 ft farther down the runway than I originally thought he was using. Possible factors: 1. Air carrier X misunderstood his clearance, and aborted his turnoff at the high speed and cleared at the next one, unsure of his instructions, and unable or afraid to ask for clarification (foreign airline). 2. Air carrier X was unable the high speed, appeared to be turning there and this controller did not ensure air carrier X's exit was in fact completed. 3. Air carrier X was unable the high speed and was unable or afraid to advise the tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CLRED FOR TKOF ON OCCUPIED RWY. ACR X NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC (FAILED TO TURN OFF AT PROPER HIGH SPD TAXIWAY). CTLR ABORTED LGT TKOF CLRNC. PLTDEV.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING LIGHT TFC, 4 DEPS WAITING FOR CLRNC, 2 ARRS ON THE SCOPE. ACR X LANDED RWY 13L, AN LGT WAITING FOR DEP WAS TAXIED INTO POS AWAITING CLRNC. I ISSUED TURN-OFF INSTRUCTIONS TO THE ACR X VIA THE HIGH SPD TURN-OFF, WHICH HE ACKNOWLEDGED. I GLANCED AT THE RADAR TO ASCERTAIN THE POS OF AN ARR ON A DIFFERENT RWY, DETERMINED HE WAS NO FACTOR FOR MY DEP AND CLRED THE LGT FOR TKOF. WHEN THE ACR X WAS GIVEN THE TURN-OFF INSTRUCTIONS, A GLANCE CONFIRMED HE WAS COMMITTED TO THE ASSIGNED INTXN AND CLRING THE RWY. AS I CLRED THE LGT FOR TKOF I NOTED ACR X IN A POS NOT CONSISTENT WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS. AT NIGHT, THIS TURN-OFF AREA IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE CLRLY, RAMP LIGHTS AND OTHER OBSCURATIONS ARE SEVERE. UNSURE OF THE ACR X POS, I CANCELLED THE LGT'S TKOF CLRNC. I ASKED THE ACR X HIS POS, AND HE STATED HE WAS CLR OF THE RWY. I DETERMINED AT THIS POINT HE WAS AT A TURNOFF 1500 FT FARTHER DOWN THE RWY THAN I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT HE WAS USING. POSSIBLE FACTORS: 1. ACR X MISUNDERSTOOD HIS CLRNC, AND ABORTED HIS TURNOFF AT THE HIGH SPD AND CLRED AT THE NEXT ONE, UNSURE OF HIS INSTRUCTIONS, AND UNABLE OR AFRAID TO ASK FOR CLARIFICATION (FOREIGN AIRLINE). 2. ACR X WAS UNABLE THE HIGH SPD, APPEARED TO BE TURNING THERE AND THIS CTLR DID NOT ENSURE ACR X'S EXIT WAS IN FACT COMPLETED. 3. ACR X WAS UNABLE THE HIGH SPD AND WAS UNABLE OR AFRAID TO ADVISE THE TWR.

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.