Narrative:

Local/ground combined in the tower; standard operation. Runway 24; winds out of southwest 10-12 KTS. Inbound CRJ2 wanted runway 6; quicker from southwest. I approved it; although thought it unusual due to wind velocity. The controller I relieved called on in-house phone and told me he was still 'signed on' in the tower on cru-X program; automated program for tracking time-on-position. It took my 4TH try to sign me on at the right time; as a B727 called 'ready.' the sign-on computer is almost on the far side of the tower. I ran over to local and cleared B727 for takeoff (runway 24). As I put the hand set down; I saw CRJ2 on landing rollout (runway 6). I quickly rescinded B727 takeoff clearance; but he responded he was over the hold line. Neither pilot seemed perturbed by the events; although I was. Safety was technically compromised; though chance of collision was nil. I was wrong; but did my thinking a runway 6 arrival was so unusual; out of the question; or messing with the cru-X computer cause this? Truth be told; I screwed up. My mind; with the wind; was a straight runway 24 mode; but the computer entries certainly distraction me. Had I not been doing required computer paperwork away from the local position; I'm sure this wouldn't have happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ABE CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION RWY TFC WHEN DISTR BY OTHER DUTIES.

Narrative: LCL/GND COMBINED IN THE TWR; STANDARD OP. RWY 24; WINDS OUT OF SW 10-12 KTS. INBOUND CRJ2 WANTED RWY 6; QUICKER FROM SW. I APPROVED IT; ALTHOUGH THOUGHT IT UNUSUAL DUE TO WIND VELOCITY. THE CTLR I RELIEVED CALLED ON IN-HOUSE PHONE AND TOLD ME HE WAS STILL 'SIGNED ON' IN THE TWR ON CRU-X PROGRAM; AUTOMATED PROGRAM FOR TRACKING TIME-ON-POS. IT TOOK MY 4TH TRY TO SIGN ME ON AT THE RIGHT TIME; AS A B727 CALLED 'READY.' THE SIGN-ON COMPUTER IS ALMOST ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE TWR. I RAN OVER TO LCL AND CLRED B727 FOR TKOF (RWY 24). AS I PUT THE HAND SET DOWN; I SAW CRJ2 ON LNDG ROLLOUT (RWY 6). I QUICKLY RESCINDED B727 TKOF CLRNC; BUT HE RESPONDED HE WAS OVER THE HOLD LINE. NEITHER PLT SEEMED PERTURBED BY THE EVENTS; ALTHOUGH I WAS. SAFETY WAS TECHNICALLY COMPROMISED; THOUGH CHANCE OF COLLISION WAS NIL. I WAS WRONG; BUT DID MY THINKING A RWY 6 ARR WAS SO UNUSUAL; OUT OF THE QUESTION; OR MESSING WITH THE CRU-X COMPUTER CAUSE THIS? TRUTH BE TOLD; I SCREWED UP. MY MIND; WITH THE WIND; WAS A STRAIGHT RWY 24 MODE; BUT THE COMPUTER ENTRIES CERTAINLY DISTR ME. HAD I NOT BEEN DOING REQUIRED COMPUTER PAPERWORK AWAY FROM THE LCL POS; I'M SURE THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.