Narrative:

I observed the tower controller allow 2 aircraft to operate on the runway at the same time with less than prescribed runway separation. The controller had small transport X on final approximately 2 mi out and put small transport Y into position and hold, pending a previous arrival clearing down field. He then answered another aircraft instead of clearing small transport Y for takeoff. When he finally cleared small transport Y for takeoff, he failed to use the phrase 'immediate' and was very nonchalant in his demeanor over the radio, even though both the cabin attendant coordinator and the tower supervisor were cuing him to react in a more emphatic manner. There were approximately 3500 ft between the two aircraft and the preceding small transport Y departure had not rotated when small transport X flared over the runway numbers. 4500 ft is the required distance, and the preceding departure must be airborne. As stated before, the supervisor observed the entire operation and treated it as it was a joking matter. I would not have submitted this report had this been a first occurrence on behalf of either the controller or the supervisor. In fact, this is the third similar incident in 6 months with this particular controller, and the supervisor has too many deficiencies to go into this report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT X LNDG ON OCCUPIED RWY HAD LTSS FROM SMT Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I OBSERVED THE TWR CTLR ALLOW 2 ACFT TO OPERATE ON THE RWY AT THE SAME TIME WITH LESS THAN PRESCRIBED RWY SEPARATION. THE CTLR HAD SMT X ON FINAL APPROX 2 MI OUT AND PUT SMT Y INTO POS AND HOLD, PENDING A PREVIOUS ARR CLRING DOWN FIELD. HE THEN ANSWERED ANOTHER ACFT INSTEAD OF CLRING SMT Y FOR TKOF. WHEN HE FINALLY CLRED SMT Y FOR TKOF, HE FAILED TO USE THE PHRASE 'IMMEDIATE' AND WAS VERY NONCHALANT IN HIS DEMEANOR OVER THE RADIO, EVEN THOUGH BOTH THE CAB COORDINATOR AND THE TWR SUPVR WERE CUING HIM TO REACT IN A MORE EMPHATIC MANNER. THERE WERE APPROX 3500 FT BTWN THE TWO ACFT AND THE PRECEDING SMT Y DEP HAD NOT ROTATED WHEN SMT X FLARED OVER THE RWY NUMBERS. 4500 FT IS THE REQUIRED DISTANCE, AND THE PRECEDING DEP MUST BE AIRBORNE. AS STATED BEFORE, THE SUPVR OBSERVED THE ENTIRE OP AND TREATED IT AS IT WAS A JOKING MATTER. I WOULD NOT HAVE SUBMITTED THIS RPT HAD THIS BEEN A FIRST OCCURRENCE ON BEHALF OF EITHER THE CTLR OR THE SUPVR. IN FACT, THIS IS THE THIRD SIMILAR INCIDENT IN 6 MONTHS WITH THIS PARTICULAR CTLR, AND THE SUPVR HAS TOO MANY DEFICIENCIES TO GO INTO THIS RPT.

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.