Truck turned onto runway when local controller at nkt was departing traffic.

Attributes
ACN	490687
Time
Date	200011
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : nkt.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Harrier
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller military : 2 controller non radar : 18 controller radar : 18
ASRS Report	490687
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	controller : ground instruction : trainee
Qualification	controller : developmental
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb other flight crewa other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : rejected takeoff
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

The active runway was runway 32. Ground control taxied several aircraft out for departure. Military X (harrier) was departing VFR to a small outlet field 15 mi southwest nkt, wind was calm. I asked the pilot if he could accept a runway 23L departure, wind calm. He said affirmative. I advised military X to taxi up to and hold short runway 23L. I requested runway 5R from ground controller and he advised me it was clear and mine. A student controller was working ground control with a qualified controller. I advised military X taxi into position and hold runway 23L. As I was giving the clearance for takeoff, I scanned the runway, issued wind, and cleared him for takeoff. I reached over to annotate the count and looked up to scan the runway and I observed a truck proceeding up the inactive portion of runway 5R. I assumed ground controller gave him the clearance, but forgot to inform me. I was about to advise the pilot when I observed the truck turn 'onto' the runway. I immediately canceled the takeoff clearance and hold. The pilot acknowledged. I asked ground controller what was going on, and the student said he had forgotten he had given the truck (which is our recovery personnel) a 'blanket' on that runway. A 'blanket' is a clearance to a vehicle approving his movement on 'that' runway for as long as they need it. This particular truck was checking the arresting cables for that runway. My concern is that this 'blanket' clearance happens almost every day and most likely the recovery personnel had been out there for 15+ mins. I have advised the tower personnel if they insist on using this practice, they at least need to request an entry and exit call from the driver.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRUCK TURNED ONTO RWY WHEN LCL CTLR AT NKT WAS DEPARTING TFC.

Narrative: THE ACTIVE RWY WAS RWY 32. GND CTL TAXIED SEVERAL ACFT OUT FOR DEP. MIL X (HARRIER) WAS DEPARTING VFR TO A SMALL OUTLET FIELD 15 MI SW NKT, WIND WAS CALM. I ASKED THE PLT IF HE COULD ACCEPT A RWY 23L DEP, WIND CALM. HE SAID AFFIRMATIVE. I ADVISED MIL X TO TAXI UP TO AND HOLD SHORT RWY 23L. I REQUESTED RWY 5R FROM GND CTLR AND HE ADVISED ME IT WAS CLR AND MINE. A STUDENT CTLR WAS WORKING GND CTL WITH A QUALIFIED CTLR. I ADVISED MIL X TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 23L. AS I WAS GIVING THE CLRNC FOR TKOF, I SCANNED THE RWY, ISSUED WIND, AND CLRED HIM FOR TKOF. I REACHED OVER TO ANNOTATE THE COUNT AND LOOKED UP TO SCAN THE RWY AND I OBSERVED A TRUCK PROCEEDING UP THE INACTIVE PORTION OF RWY 5R. I ASSUMED GND CTLR GAVE HIM THE CLRNC, BUT FORGOT TO INFORM ME. I WAS ABOUT TO ADVISE THE PLT WHEN I OBSERVED THE TRUCK TURN 'ONTO' THE RWY. I IMMEDIATELY CANCELED THE TKOF CLRNC AND HOLD. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED. I ASKED GND CTLR WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND THE STUDENT SAID HE HAD FORGOTTEN HE HAD GIVEN THE TRUCK (WHICH IS OUR RECOVERY PERSONNEL) A 'BLANKET' ON THAT RWY. A 'BLANKET' IS A CLRNC TO A VEHICLE APPROVING HIS MOVEMENT ON 'THAT' RWY FOR AS LONG AS THEY NEED IT. THIS PARTICULAR TRUCK WAS CHKING THE ARRESTING CABLES FOR THAT RWY. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS 'BLANKET' CLRNC HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY DAY AND MOST LIKELY THE RECOVERY PERSONNEL HAD BEEN OUT THERE FOR 15+ MINS. I HAVE ADVISED THE TWR PERSONNEL IF THEY INSIST ON USING THIS PRACTICE, THEY AT LEAST NEED TO REQUEST AN ENTRY AND EXIT CALL FROM THE DRIVER.

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.