Air carrier was cleared for takeoff while another aircraft was departing downfield.

Attributes
ACN	128422
Time
Date	198911
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000
ASRS Report	128422
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe conflict : ground less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Departing O'hare airport, runway 32L, and being quite heavy we requested departure from the intersection of the e-w parallel taxiway. A company large transport (same as us) had been cleared into position on the runway at T1 as we taxied by. Reaching the e-w parallel the tower cleared us into position and hold, adding to be ready for an immediate takeoff. The winds were quite strong, a crosswind 250/14K. The other aircraft ahead was on the roll as we were cleared for an immediate takeoff. As we began to roll it was disconcerting that the other plane was still on the roll also, unfortunately our performance exceeded his and we began catching up with them forcing us to s-turn right after takeoff to keep from overtaking them. Having flown out of O'hare field for 22 yrs, the tower operators are very professional and experience has taught that they know what spacing, etc can work. This was much too close. I'm sure they were very aware after the fact.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WAS CLEARED FOR TKOF WHILE ANOTHER ACFT WAS DEPARTING DOWNFIELD.

Narrative: DEPARTING O'HARE ARPT, RWY 32L, AND BEING QUITE HEAVY WE REQUESTED DEP FROM THE INTXN OF THE E-W PARALLEL TXWY. A COMPANY LGT (SAME AS US) HAD BEEN CLRED INTO POSITION ON THE RWY AT T1 AS WE TAXIED BY. REACHING THE E-W PARALLEL THE TWR CLRED US INTO POSITION AND HOLD, ADDING TO BE READY FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF. THE WINDS WERE QUITE STRONG, A XWIND 250/14K. THE OTHER ACFT AHEAD WAS ON THE ROLL AS WE WERE CLRED FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF. AS WE BEGAN TO ROLL IT WAS DISCONCERTING THAT THE OTHER PLANE WAS STILL ON THE ROLL ALSO, UNFORTUNATELY OUR PERFORMANCE EXCEEDED HIS AND WE BEGAN CATCHING UP WITH THEM FORCING US TO S-TURN RIGHT AFTER TKOF TO KEEP FROM OVERTAKING THEM. HAVING FLOWN OUT OF O'HARE FIELD FOR 22 YRS, THE TWR OPERATORS ARE VERY PROFESSIONAL AND EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT THAT THEY KNOW WHAT SPACING, ETC CAN WORK. THIS WAS MUCH TOO CLOSE. I'M SURE THEY WERE VERY AWARE AFTER THE FACT.

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.