Narrative:

In my position briefing, the relieved controller did not know the status of persons on taxiway alpha adjacent to runway 30. As I tried to determine their intentions, bonanza X called for taxi from sky harbor ramp. I instructed pilot to taxi to runway 30. I observed the aircraft taxiing in the right direction. I was further concerned about the persons operating near runway 30. I made several attempts to resolve any potential conflict with them. There were several persons in the tower cabin working on equipment and causing distrs. Another aircraft called for taxi in conflict with a construction project (route across closed movement areas). X called on tower and stated he was ready at runway 30. I scanned the runway, observed the persons on taxiway a, noting they did not seem to be an immediate threat to enter the runway, but I continued to monitor their activities and cleared, 'runway 30, cleared for takeoff.' another controller began saying 'whoa,' 'whoa!' I looked towards the runway where I expected to see X. I had turned to observe X on departure roll on taxiway A2. He was about 1/3 the distance of the taxiway length. I immediately instructed the pilot to abort his takeoff. The aircraft got airborne and climb out was without incident (aircraft did not overfly anything or anyone). Pilot stated he assumed that was runway 30 -- I replied, 'I'd gathered that.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA UNAUTH TKOF ON TXWY.

Narrative: IN MY POS BRIEFING, THE RELIEVED CTLR DID NOT KNOW THE STATUS OF PERSONS ON TXWY ALPHA ADJACENT TO RWY 30. AS I TRIED TO DETERMINE THEIR INTENTIONS, BONANZA X CALLED FOR TAXI FROM SKY HARBOR RAMP. I INSTRUCTED PLT TO TAXI TO RWY 30. I OBSERVED THE ACFT TAXIING IN THE R DIRECTION. I WAS FURTHER CONCERNED ABOUT THE PERSONS OPERATING NEAR RWY 30. I MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH THEM. THERE WERE SEVERAL PERSONS IN THE TWR CABIN WORKING ON EQUIP AND CAUSING DISTRS. ANOTHER ACFT CALLED FOR TAXI IN CONFLICT WITH A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT (RTE ACROSS CLOSED MOVEMENT AREAS). X CALLED ON TWR AND STATED HE WAS READY AT RWY 30. I SCANNED THE RWY, OBSERVED THE PERSONS ON TXWY A, NOTING THEY DID NOT SEEM TO BE AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO ENTER THE RWY, BUT I CONTINUED TO MONITOR THEIR ACTIVITIES AND CLRED, 'RWY 30, CLRED FOR TKOF.' ANOTHER CTLR BEGAN SAYING 'WHOA,' 'WHOA!' I LOOKED TOWARDS THE RWY WHERE I EXPECTED TO SEE X. I HAD TURNED TO OBSERVE X ON DEP ROLL ON TXWY A2. HE WAS ABOUT 1/3 THE DISTANCE OF THE TXWY LENGTH. I IMMEDIATELY INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO ABORT HIS TKOF. THE ACFT GOT AIRBORNE AND CLBOUT WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT (ACFT DID NOT OVERFLY ANYTHING OR ANYONE). PLT STATED HE ASSUMED THAT WAS RWY 30 -- I REPLIED, 'I'D GATHERED THAT.'

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.