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Phl local controller described near operational error; prevented by amass alarm; when aircraft was cleared for takeoff with airport vehicle on runway check.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 742219 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200706 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phl.airport |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : takeoff roll |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Experience | controller limited radar : 19 controller radar : 16 controller time certified in position1 : 10 |
| ASRS Report | 742219 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : ground less severe |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
Working local control east; extremely busy with departures and arrs (5 aircraft awaiting departure on runway 8; 35 aircraft awaiting departure on runway 9L; arrs to runway 17; severe WX avoidance procedures in effect). Airport vehicle requested access to runway 8 for inspection; he waited approximately 10 mins for access. I had been on position for 1 hour 18 mins and was very fatigued. I allowed the vehicle access to the runway then my attention was diverted while coordination was initiated with the departure controller. I forgot about the vehicle on the runway and cleared DH8 for takeoff. I was alerted to the conflict by the amass. I believe this situation would have been avoided had the airport vehicle recognized how busy I was and attempted to perform his inspection at a later time; or had he been paying attention to the frequency and heard the aircraft cleared for takeoff on the runway he was inspecting.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PHL LCL CTLR DESCRIBED NEAR OPERROR; PREVENTED BY AMASS ALARM; WHEN ACFT WAS CLRED FOR TKOF WITH ARPT VEHICLE ON RWY CHECK.
Narrative: WORKING LCL CTL E; EXTREMELY BUSY WITH DEPS AND ARRS (5 ACFT AWAITING DEP ON RWY 8; 35 ACFT AWAITING DEP ON RWY 9L; ARRS TO RWY 17; SEVERE WX AVOIDANCE PROCS IN EFFECT). ARPT VEHICLE REQUESTED ACCESS TO RWY 8 FOR INSPECTION; HE WAITED APPROX 10 MINS FOR ACCESS. I HAD BEEN ON POS FOR 1 HR 18 MINS AND WAS VERY FATIGUED. I ALLOWED THE VEHICLE ACCESS TO THE RWY THEN MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED WHILE COORD WAS INITIATED WITH THE DEP CTLR. I FORGOT ABOUT THE VEHICLE ON THE RWY AND CLRED DH8 FOR TKOF. I WAS ALERTED TO THE CONFLICT BY THE AMASS. I BELIEVE THIS SITUATION WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE ARPT VEHICLE RECOGNIZED HOW BUSY I WAS AND ATTEMPTED TO PERFORM HIS INSPECTION AT A LATER TIME; OR HAD HE BEEN PAYING ATTN TO THE FREQ AND HEARD THE ACFT CLRED FOR TKOF ON THE RWY HE WAS INSPECTING.
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.