Narrative:

Location: hold position. At the same time as bna tower cleared our flight on to hold, tower also cleared aircraft Y, a B757, for takeoff on runway 20R. We were on runway 20C. The B757 was cleared for takeoff and did turn across our runway centerline at approximately 800 ft AGL. After approximately 60 seconds, tower cleared us for takeoff. We declined takeoff without 2 mins wake turbulence separation. Tower then canceled our takeoff clearance and allowed a cessna citation to taxi in front of us on the runway -- with our aircraft still in position -- for takeoff from runway 20C. In order to avoid hitting us with jetblast, the citation lined up with his wingtip at the edge of the runway, and began the takeoff roll. This report is intended as a criticism of the tower controller's judgement in the circumstances. We declined takeoff without 2 mins separation behind a B757 because it is not safe. ATC's response should not be to allow another air crew to try their luck. Particularly troubling was tower permitting another jet aircraft to take off directly in front of us while we held in takeoff position. The citation entered the runway at the same intersection as we did, applied power immediately, and began takeoff roll. We should have, at a minimum, been allowed to clear the runway. I consider this scenario a gross disregard of the judgement we made in a potentially dangerous situation. I believe that the controller was trying to force us into complying with radar trail separation rather than allowing time for the B757 wake turbulence to dissipate. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: information the reporter gave was basically a repeat of his initial report. Reporter indicated that his union has told them that they should wait at least 2 mins before taking off behind a B757. In this case, even though the B757 departed runway 20R, which was the adjacent runway to theirs. The flight crew's concern was, the B757 after takeoff was told to turn left by the tower, putting the B757's flight path across their runway at 800 ft AGL. (Bna field elevation is 599 ft.) reporter indicated there was no way they would have taken off until they felt the wake turbulence had dissipated. What really surprised them, is when bna tower cleared the cessna citation to take the active runway side-by with them. Reporter felt they were a military flight of 2. They would have gladly vacated the runway to make more room for the citation. The citation's left wingtip was even with edge of the runway. His aircraft was on the centerline. In closing, reporter felt there was no need for the tower to expedite his takeoff or anyone else at the time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT X REFUSED TO TAKE OFF IN CLOSE PROX OF ACFT Y, A B757, WHICH HAD DEPARTED ADJACENT RWY AND CROSSED OVER ACFT X'S RWY, UNTIL 2 MINS HAD ELAPSED FOR WAKE TURB CONSIDERATION. TWR LCL CTLR INSTEAD CLRED ANOTHER ACFT ON THE SAME RWY AS RPTR'S ACFT AND ISSUED A TKOF CLRNC.

Narrative: LOCATION: HOLD POS. AT THE SAME TIME AS BNA TWR CLRED OUR FLT ON TO HOLD, TWR ALSO CLRED ACFT Y, A B757, FOR TKOF ON RWY 20R. WE WERE ON RWY 20C. THE B757 WAS CLRED FOR TKOF AND DID TURN ACROSS OUR RWY CTRLINE AT APPROX 800 FT AGL. AFTER APPROX 60 SECONDS, TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. WE DECLINED TKOF WITHOUT 2 MINS WAKE TURB SEPARATION. TWR THEN CANCELED OUR TKOF CLRNC AND ALLOWED A CESSNA CITATION TO TAXI IN FRONT OF US ON THE RWY -- WITH OUR ACFT STILL IN POS -- FOR TKOF FROM RWY 20C. IN ORDER TO AVOID HITTING US WITH JETBLAST, THE CITATION LINED UP WITH HIS WINGTIP AT THE EDGE OF THE RWY, AND BEGAN THE TKOF ROLL. THIS RPT IS INTENDED AS A CRITICISM OF THE TWR CTLR'S JUDGEMENT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES. WE DECLINED TKOF WITHOUT 2 MINS SEPARATION BEHIND A B757 BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE. ATC'S RESPONSE SHOULD NOT BE TO ALLOW ANOTHER AIR CREW TO TRY THEIR LUCK. PARTICULARLY TROUBLING WAS TWR PERMITTING ANOTHER JET ACFT TO TAKE OFF DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US WHILE WE HELD IN TKOF POS. THE CITATION ENTERED THE RWY AT THE SAME INTXN AS WE DID, APPLIED PWR IMMEDIATELY, AND BEGAN TKOF ROLL. WE SHOULD HAVE, AT A MINIMUM, BEEN ALLOWED TO CLR THE RWY. I CONSIDER THIS SCENARIO A GROSS DISREGARD OF THE JUDGEMENT WE MADE IN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT. I BELIEVE THAT THE CTLR WAS TRYING TO FORCE US INTO COMPLYING WITH RADAR TRAIL SEPARATION RATHER THAN ALLOWING TIME FOR THE B757 WAKE TURB TO DISSIPATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: INFO THE RPTR GAVE WAS BASICALLY A REPEAT OF HIS INITIAL RPT. RPTR INDICATED THAT HIS UNION HAS TOLD THEM THAT THEY SHOULD WAIT AT LEAST 2 MINS BEFORE TAKING OFF BEHIND A B757. IN THIS CASE, EVEN THOUGH THE B757 DEPARTED RWY 20R, WHICH WAS THE ADJACENT RWY TO THEIRS. THE FLC'S CONCERN WAS, THE B757 AFTER TKOF WAS TOLD TO TURN L BY THE TWR, PUTTING THE B757'S FLT PATH ACROSS THEIR RWY AT 800 FT AGL. (BNA FIELD ELEVATION IS 599 FT.) RPTR INDICATED THERE WAS NO WAY THEY WOULD HAVE TAKEN OFF UNTIL THEY FELT THE WAKE TURB HAD DISSIPATED. WHAT REALLY SURPRISED THEM, IS WHEN BNA TWR CLRED THE CESSNA CITATION TO TAKE THE ACTIVE RWY SIDE-BY WITH THEM. RPTR FELT THEY WERE A MIL FLT OF 2. THEY WOULD HAVE GLADLY VACATED THE RWY TO MAKE MORE ROOM FOR THE CITATION. THE CITATION'S L WINGTIP WAS EVEN WITH EDGE OF THE RWY. HIS ACFT WAS ON THE CTRLINE. IN CLOSING, RPTR FELT THERE WAS NO NEED FOR THE TWR TO EXPEDITE HIS TKOF OR ANYONE ELSE AT THE TIME.

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.