Narrative:

I relieved the local controller and reviewed the equipment settings. I noted on the amass/asde display that runways 4L/22R and runway 4R/22L (which were closed) had not been set closed by the prior controller. I set the amass to show those runways closed. What I did not notice was that runway 13R/31L, which had been closed earlier and set as such on the amass, was now open but was still shown as closed on the amass. The location of runway 13R/31L on the amass/asde display made it difficult to notice that the runway was still set closed. Air carrier Y H/MD11, was on final for runway 31L when the amass sounded a go around alert, that the runway was closed. Knowing that the runway was in fact open, and visually confirming that fact, I set the amass to show the runway open and elected to allow air carrier X to land. Although I correctly checked equipment settings upon assuming the control position, in the future I will ensure that all settings on the amass are set correctly to avoid this type of situation in the future.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: JFK TWR CTLR DOES NOT COMPLY WITH AMASS INSTRUCTION BECAUSE OF INCORRECT AMASS SETTINGS REGARDING CLOSED OR OPEN RWY.

Narrative: I RELIEVED THE LCL CTLR AND REVIEWED THE EQUIP SETTINGS. I NOTED ON THE AMASS/ASDE DISPLAY THAT RWYS 4L/22R AND RWY 4R/22L (WHICH WERE CLOSED) HAD NOT BEEN SET CLOSED BY THE PRIOR CTLR. I SET THE AMASS TO SHOW THOSE RWYS CLOSED. WHAT I DID NOT NOTICE WAS THAT RWY 13R/31L, WHICH HAD BEEN CLOSED EARLIER AND SET AS SUCH ON THE AMASS, WAS NOW OPEN BUT WAS STILL SHOWN AS CLOSED ON THE AMASS. THE LOCATION OF RWY 13R/31L ON THE AMASS/ASDE DISPLAY MADE IT DIFFICULT TO NOTICE THAT THE RWY WAS STILL SET CLOSED. ACR Y H/MD11, WAS ON FINAL FOR RWY 31L WHEN THE AMASS SOUNDED A GAR ALERT, THAT THE RWY WAS CLOSED. KNOWING THAT THE RWY WAS IN FACT OPEN, AND VISUALLY CONFIRMING THAT FACT, I SET THE AMASS TO SHOW THE RWY OPEN AND ELECTED TO ALLOW ACR X TO LAND. ALTHOUGH I CORRECTLY CHKED EQUIP SETTINGS UPON ASSUMING THE CTL POS, IN THE FUTURE I WILL ENSURE THAT ALL SETTINGS ON THE AMASS ARE SET CORRECTLY TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF SIT IN THE FUTURE.

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.