B737 takeoff on occupied runway. Vehicle on runway. System error.

Attributes
ACN	307051
Time
Date	199506
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 4
ASRS Report	307051
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Situation was very busy on local control. A city vehicle was performing a runway check of runway 01L/19R. Local taxied aircraft into position on runway 01L. I was coordinating with oak ATCT reference a handoff, and then with 090 (bay approach) on departures. I heard local clear aircraft for takeoff from runway 01L. After aircraft departed, the city mobile vehicle informed local that he was clear of runway 01L/19R. The driver of the vehicle then informed his supervisor that local cleared aircraft for takeoff from runway 01L while the vehicle was on the runway, and the vehicle had to exit the runway into the dirt and grass area. I was too busy with coordination to see the situation, and local had numerous departures and arrs. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated the local controller failed to follow established vehicle or runway procedures. System error was called after vehicle driver called tower supervisor. Local controller did not place vehicle on runway strip over departure strips.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 TKOF ON OCCUPIED RWY. VEHICLE ON RWY. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: SIT WAS VERY BUSY ON LCL CTL. A CITY VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING A RWY CHK OF RWY 01L/19R. LCL TAXIED ACFT INTO POS ON RWY 01L. I WAS COORDINATING WITH OAK ATCT REF A HDOF, AND THEN WITH 090 (BAY APCH) ON DEPS. I HEARD LCL CLR ACFT FOR TKOF FROM RWY 01L. AFTER ACFT DEPARTED, THE CITY MOBILE VEHICLE INFORMED LCL THAT HE WAS CLR OF RWY 01L/19R. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE THEN INFORMED HIS SUPVR THAT LCL CLRED ACFT FOR TKOF FROM RWY 01L WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE RWY, AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO EXIT THE RWY INTO THE DIRT AND GRASS AREA. I WAS TOO BUSY WITH COORD TO SEE THE SIT, AND LCL HAD NUMEROUS DEPS AND ARRS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THE LCL CTLR FAILED TO FOLLOW ESTABLISHED VEHICLE OR RWY PROCS. SYS ERROR WAS CALLED AFTER VEHICLE DRIVER CALLED TWR SUPVR. LCL CTLR DID NOT PLACE VEHICLE ON RWY STRIP OVER DEP STRIPS.

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.