Narrative:

Takeoff. Between XA30 and XB00 saturday morning. Wind 220 degrees at 7 KTS. Active runway indicated as runway 27. Ground and tower are on the same channel. Aircraft X calls for clearance to taxi. Clearance received to runway 27. Aircraft X hears a plane call in from 10 mi west and request a landing on runway 9. He is told by controller that runway 9 is acceptable and he is directed to call in at 5 mi. Aircraft X performs run-up at the end of runway 27. Pilot to the west calls in at 5 mi and is told by the controller to call in at 3 mi. A lot of talk from various pilots on the radio (about 1 min). Aircraft X is ready to go and waiting a chance to call in. Pilot to the west calls in at 3 mi and is cleared to land on runway 9. Aircraft X calls in and is cleared to takeoff on runway 27. Aircraft X taxies into place with no delay and begins takeoff roll. During takeoff roll controller calls aircraft X. Message is difficult to hear due to takeoff noise. Aircraft X lifts off and asks for a repeat of the message. Controller repeats message: turn right at earliest opportunity. Aircraft X response 'X.' controller calls again with a lot of irritation for aircraft X to turn right. Aircraft X responds that aircraft will turn right as soon as possible. Meanwhile the oncoming aircraft is clearly visible, less than 1/2 mi on final. Aircraft X flies to 200 ft above ground level, turns right, and departs to northeast. Poor judgement on the part of the controller resulted in a less than safe departure and landing for these 2 aircraft. Additionally, the anxiety and irritation on the part of the controller increased the likelihood that aircraft X would turn too early or stall while clearing the airspace. Aircraft X had few options if there had been a mechanical problem on the takeoff roll. The situation could easily have resulted in one or both pilots making an error in flight or judgement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR MISJUDGES TFC SPACING WHEN USING OPPOSING RWYS FOR LNDG AND DEP.

Narrative: TKOF. BTWN XA30 AND XB00 SATURDAY MORNING. WIND 220 DEGS AT 7 KTS. ACTIVE RWY INDICATED AS RWY 27. GND AND TWR ARE ON THE SAME CHANNEL. ACFT X CALLS FOR CLRNC TO TAXI. CLRNC RECEIVED TO RWY 27. ACFT X HEARS A PLANE CALL IN FROM 10 MI W AND REQUEST A LNDG ON RWY 9. HE IS TOLD BY CTLR THAT RWY 9 IS ACCEPTABLE AND HE IS DIRECTED TO CALL IN AT 5 MI. ACFT X PERFORMS RUN-UP AT THE END OF RWY 27. PLT TO THE W CALLS IN AT 5 MI AND IS TOLD BY THE CTLR TO CALL IN AT 3 MI. A LOT OF TALK FROM VARIOUS PLTS ON THE RADIO (ABOUT 1 MIN). ACFT X IS READY TO GO AND WAITING A CHANCE TO CALL IN. PLT TO THE W CALLS IN AT 3 MI AND IS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 9. ACFT X CALLS IN AND IS CLRED TO TKOF ON RWY 27. ACFT X TAXIES INTO PLACE WITH NO DELAY AND BEGINS TKOF ROLL. DURING TKOF ROLL CTLR CALLS ACFT X. MESSAGE IS DIFFICULT TO HEAR DUE TO TKOF NOISE. ACFT X LIFTS OFF AND ASKS FOR A REPEAT OF THE MESSAGE. CTLR REPEATS MESSAGE: TURN R AT EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY. ACFT X RESPONSE 'X.' CTLR CALLS AGAIN WITH A LOT OF IRRITATION FOR ACFT X TO TURN R. ACFT X RESPONDS THAT ACFT WILL TURN R AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MEANWHILE THE ONCOMING ACFT IS CLRLY VISIBLE, LESS THAN 1/2 MI ON FINAL. ACFT X FLIES TO 200 FT ABOVE GND LEVEL, TURNS R, AND DEPARTS TO NE. POOR JUDGEMENT ON THE PART OF THE CTLR RESULTED IN A LESS THAN SAFE DEP AND LNDG FOR THESE 2 ACFT. ADDITIONALLY, THE ANXIETY AND IRRITATION ON THE PART OF THE CTLR INCREASED THE LIKELIHOOD THAT ACFT X WOULD TURN TOO EARLY OR STALL WHILE CLRING THE AIRSPACE. ACFT X HAD FEW OPTIONS IF THERE HAD BEEN A MECHANICAL PROB ON THE TKOF ROLL. THE SIT COULD EASILY HAVE RESULTED IN ONE OR BOTH PLTS MAKING AN ERROR IN FLT OR JUDGEMENT.

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.