Air carrier was instructed to taxi into position and hold behind a landing light transport. Air carr...

Attributes
ACN	115341
Time
Date	198906
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	115341
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was working local control having just signed on for the midnight watch. Runway 4R was closed and we were landing runway 4L, departing runway 11 and runway 4L. Arrival traffic was about 5-6 mi in trail and I had 6-8 departures ready ready to go: 3 at runway 4L and 3 at runway 11. Traffic at the time of the occurrence was light transport Y on 3 mi final. A large transport rolling out on runway 4L, and an large transport on an 8 mi final to runway 4L. My plan was to depart air carrier X after the light transport Y. Landed but before the next arrival. I advised air carrier X to prepare for departure when light transport Y was at the 1 mi mark on the BRITE. Air carrier X rogered 'I'll be ready.' I watched light transport Y come up on the approach lights, waited a moment and then told air carrier X to taxi into position and hold. Air carrier X responded, 'I think we'll wait until this guy lands.' now I believe I used anticipated sep properly as there was no way air carrier X could have crossed the hold line before light transport Y was well past, but somehow air carrier X saw it differently.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAXI INTO POSITION AND HOLD BEHIND A LNDG LTT. ACR REFUSED CLRNC UNTIL AFTER LTT LANDED.

Narrative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

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.

Air carrier was instructed to taxi into position and hold behind a landing light transport. Air carrier refused clearance until after light transport landed.