Large transport cleared for takeoff and departed on runway with vehicles still on runway.

Attributes
ACN	103579
Time
Date	198902
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	103579
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working ground control/local control combined. At XX30 a broom and plow were cleared on runway 05. Truck was cleared at this time and later reported clear. Air carrier was cleared for takeoff. Air carrier was called to departure control when rolling. Broom and equipment on extreme northeast end of runway were then told to exit. Although vehicles were on extreme northeast end of runway 05 and didn't get close to departing aircraft, I hadn't asked them to exit prior to clearing aircraft for takeoff. I had focused my attention to the approach end of runway for arrs and the BRITE. I completely forgot the vehicles--should have used a pad with big letters along with runway unsafe lights. Must scan runway better.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CLEARED FOR TKOF AND DEPARTED ON RWY WITH VEHICLES STILL ON RWY.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING GND CTL/LCL CTL COMBINED. AT XX30 A BROOM AND PLOW WERE CLRED ON RWY 05. TRUCK WAS CLRED AT THIS TIME AND LATER RPTED CLR. ACR WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. ACR WAS CALLED TO DEP CTL WHEN ROLLING. BROOM AND EQUIP ON EXTREME NE END OF RWY WERE THEN TOLD TO EXIT. ALTHOUGH VEHICLES WERE ON EXTREME NE END OF RWY 05 AND DIDN'T GET CLOSE TO DEPARTING ACFT, I HADN'T ASKED THEM TO EXIT PRIOR TO CLRING ACFT FOR TKOF. I HAD FOCUSED MY ATTN TO THE APCH END OF RWY FOR ARRS AND THE BRITE. I COMPLETELY FORGOT THE VEHICLES--SHOULD HAVE USED A PAD WITH BIG LETTERS ALONG WITH RWY UNSAFE LIGHTS. MUST SCAN RWY BETTER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.