Large transport cleared to takeoff with aircraft also cleared to taxi across same runway.

Attributes
ACN	257393
Time
Date	199311
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 157 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	257393
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

#1 for takeoff runway 17R dfw. All engines running. Tower cleared us for takeoff. Completed before takeoff checklist, push up power, made a rolling takeoff. It was dark. We saw an aircraft (lights) cross the far end of our runway. He was obviously clearing the runway. Somewhere over 100 KTS, the so said it looks like another aircraft is crossing our runway. We are now approaching V1, vr. Now, I know we can abort and stop on the remaining runway, but I don't know what taxiway he is on nor how far away he is. But, I do know that we are rapidly approaching V1, vr, and that we can get airborne long before we get near him. I just attended recurrent school and they made a big point about high speed rejected takeoffs and the problems associated with them. So, I made the decision to continue the takeoff. During all this, the first officer tried to talk to the tower, but they were very busy and talking and he could not get in. He told the tower, 'you cleared us for takeoff.' I don't know if they ever heard that. After the takeoff, tower said, 'sorry about the confusion, contact departure control.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CLRED TO TKOF WITH ACFT ALSO CLRED TO TAXI ACROSS SAME RWY.

Narrative: #1 FOR TKOF RWY 17R DFW. ALL ENGS RUNNING. TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. COMPLETED BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST, PUSH UP PWR, MADE A ROLLING TKOF. IT WAS DARK. WE SAW AN ACFT (LIGHTS) CROSS THE FAR END OF OUR RWY. HE WAS OBVIOUSLY CLRING THE RWY. SOMEWHERE OVER 100 KTS, THE SO SAID IT LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER ACFT IS XING OUR RWY. WE ARE NOW APCHING V1, VR. NOW, I KNOW WE CAN ABORT AND STOP ON THE REMAINING RWY, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TXWY HE IS ON NOR HOW FAR AWAY HE IS. BUT, I DO KNOW THAT WE ARE RAPIDLY APCHING V1, VR, AND THAT WE CAN GET AIRBORNE LONG BEFORE WE GET NEAR HIM. I JUST ATTENDED RECURRENT SCHOOL AND THEY MADE A BIG POINT ABOUT HIGH SPD REJECTED TKOFS AND THE PROBS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM. SO, I MADE THE DECISION TO CONTINUE THE TKOF. DURING ALL THIS, THE FO TRIED TO TALK TO THE TWR, BUT THEY WERE VERY BUSY AND TALKING AND HE COULD NOT GET IN. HE TOLD THE TWR, 'YOU CLRED US FOR TKOF.' I DON'T KNOW IF THEY EVER HEARD THAT. AFTER THE TKOF, TWR SAID, 'SORRY ABOUT THE CONFUSION, CONTACT DEP CTL.'

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.