Operational error. Air carrier X cleared for takeoff while air carrier Y was crossing the runway.

Attributes
ACN	292449
Time
Date	199412
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller military : 3 controller non radar : 6 controller radar : 2
ASRS Report	292449
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : rejected takeoff other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X, a DC9, cleared for takeoff runway 4L ground control had not completed crossing runway 4L at midfield with a H/DC10 taxiway G. When I realized this, I canceled air carrier X's takeoff, he powered down to taxi speed by taxiway east. The H/DC10 had cleared at taxiway G and air carrier X then cleared at taxiway G. Contributing factors air carrier Y crossed very slowly and had to be told twice. How discovered: by visually scanning airfield. Corrective actions: a better way to show xings are complete. I perceived timewise that the air carrier Y had to be across already.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERROR. ACR X CLRED FOR TKOF WHILE ACR Y WAS XING THE RWY.

Narrative: ACR X, A DC9, CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 4L GND CTL HAD NOT COMPLETED XING RWY 4L AT MIDFIELD WITH A H/DC10 TXWY G. WHEN I REALIZED THIS, I CANCELED ACR X'S TKOF, HE POWERED DOWN TO TAXI SPD BY TXWY E. THE H/DC10 HAD CLRED AT TXWY G AND ACR X THEN CLRED AT TXWY G. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ACR Y CROSSED VERY SLOWLY AND HAD TO BE TOLD TWICE. HOW DISCOVERED: BY VISUALLY SCANNING AIRFIELD. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: A BETTER WAY TO SHOW XINGS ARE COMPLETE. I PERCEIVED TIMEWISE THAT THE ACR Y HAD TO BE ACROSS ALREADY.

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.