Narrative:

Estimated miss distance was 500 ft; the distance from runway 4L to runway 9L is 500 ft. Plan X; trip to runway 9L; VFR photo flight doing east/west passes over the field to approximately 8-10 mi east of ord at 3500 ft MSL. All departures to be stopped at 3000 ft until separation exists; then climb to 5000 ft MSL if appropriate; or left at 3000 ft MSL and shipped to departure control. I was working north local control at ord ATCT at the time listed. I told aircraft X position and hold runway 4L; traffic departing the cross runway. At the appropriate time; I cleared aircraft Y for takeoff on runway 9 with a right turn heading 140 degrees. 19 seconds later; I cleared aircraft X for takeoff on runway 4L with a left turn heading 320 degrees to maintain 3000 ft. I then heard the local controller monitor say 'whoa whoa whoa' and the efsts controller say 'what about your runway 9L departure?' 4 seconds after aircraft X received a takeoff clearance; I canceled the clearance and aircraft X acknowledged this cancellation and remained in position; never moving. The lcm; efsts; nlc; os; amass data; and pilot of aircraft X all confirm that aircraft X never moved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ORD LCL CTLR DESCRIBED CONFLICT AS THEY CLRED TFC FOR TKOF ON AN INTERSECTING RWY; BUT THEN CANCELED TKOF CLRNC BEFORE ROLL BEGAN.

Narrative: ESTIMATED MISS DISTANCE WAS 500 FT; THE DISTANCE FROM RWY 4L TO RWY 9L IS 500 FT. PLAN X; TRIP TO RWY 9L; VFR PHOTO FLT DOING E/W PASSES OVER THE FIELD TO APPROX 8-10 MI E OF ORD AT 3500 FT MSL. ALL DEPS TO BE STOPPED AT 3000 FT UNTIL SEPARATION EXISTS; THEN CLB TO 5000 FT MSL IF APPROPRIATE; OR LEFT AT 3000 FT MSL AND SHIPPED TO DEP CTL. I WAS WORKING N LCL CTL AT ORD ATCT AT THE TIME LISTED. I TOLD ACFT X POS AND HOLD RWY 4L; TFC DEPARTING THE CROSS RWY. AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME; I CLRED ACFT Y FOR TKOF ON RWY 9 WITH A R TURN HDG 140 DEGS. 19 SECONDS LATER; I CLRED ACFT X FOR TKOF ON RWY 4L WITH A L TURN HDG 320 DEGS TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT. I THEN HEARD THE LCL CTLR MONITOR SAY 'WHOA WHOA WHOA' AND THE EFSTS CTLR SAY 'WHAT ABOUT YOUR RWY 9L DEP?' 4 SECONDS AFTER ACFT X RECEIVED A TKOF CLRNC; I CANCELED THE CLRNC AND ACFT X ACKNOWLEDGED THIS CANCELLATION AND REMAINED IN POS; NEVER MOVING. THE LCM; EFSTS; NLC; OS; AMASS DATA; AND PLT OF ACFT X ALL CONFIRM THAT ACFT X NEVER MOVED.

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.