Narrative:

I was working local control west; runway 16R. Runway 16L; runway 14 are closed for construction; runway 17 was closed. Runway 16R is the only available runway for arrivals and departures. I had been on position for about 10 minutes. The facility manager was in the tower. An ops manager from S56 was in the tower. The support manager was in the tower. A support specialist with at least 5 or more visitors was in the tower. I received a briefing and the controller did the 2 minute overlap. There was a lineup of approximately 15 departures ready to go. While on position the S56 ops manager comes over to my position/sector and coordinates that 2 arrivals will be coming to me but will be on 10 mile finals; so that I can launch departures. He noticed and commented ground control had sequenced a good flow; so that I could use 6000 feet and airborne to expedite departures. During this time I have been still working. I continued working the departure bank. 6000 feet and airborne. I lineup aircraft X; and clear them for takeoff; I lineup a VFR aircraft behind the departing aircraft X; give the wake turbulence and wait for the 6000 feet and airborne. I anticipate the separation and give takeoff clearance to aircraft Y and go to the next in line to line up and wait. I scan final and the departure end; and I hear; tower; aircraft X needs to turn off here. I immediately think the aircraft talking to me is in the lineup on the ground; with a maintenance issue or not ready yet for some reason. I scan the list of flight progress strips on my podium; I don't see who is talking to me. I look at the asde (airport surface detection equipment) and see the aircraft taxing off at A3; or A4. Then I hear the asde alarm. Runway 16 right occupied. Aircraft Y is rolling. I try to cancel takeoff clearance but aircraft Y is airborne. I don't remember the sequence of events from when aircraft X exited. I know I talked to aircraft X about his intentions and switched him to ground. I don't remember aircraft Y acknowledging the cancel takeoff clearance. The flm comes over and says he needs the n number for the abort aircraft and thinks aircraft Y is an arrival; not a departure. He tells me just get him; aircraft Y; to the east side (I just have to work confused through that). I switch the VFR aircraft to another sector and I continued to work the departure bank. After the incident; I hear the facility manager and the S56 ops manager in the back of the tower talking about the incident with the abort and aircraft Y. I stay on position and work the rest of the departures out. I feel a high level of anxiety; shaky voice; shaky hands; nausea; elevated heartrate; sadness; humiliation; defeat; failure; embarrassment. When I finally did get off position I was crying uncontrollably. Just completely deflated and I feel like I let myself; my managers; my peers; the customers; the airlines; everyone down. I feel ashamed. I don't know that prohibiting tours in the tower would prevent this but it sure is a big distraction to deal with when there is 25 people in the tower cab. Number of actual people in the cab is not known. But I bet its close. Also; if the managers want to discuss a situation don't do it in front of who the situation happens with. Also; when does another facility ops manager go to individual sectors and coordinate aircraft movement?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SLC Tower Controller reported a loss of separation when a departure aborted their takeoff; but the aircraft behind them had already began their takeoff. Reporter had issue with the amount of people in the Tower and various distractions.

Narrative: I was working Local Control West; runway 16R. Runway 16L; Runway 14 are closed for construction; Runway 17 was closed. Runway 16R is the only available runway for arrivals and departures. I had been on position for about 10 minutes. The facility manager was in the tower. An ops manager from S56 was in the tower. The support manager was in the tower. A support specialist with at least 5 or more visitors was in the tower. I received a briefing and the controller did the 2 minute overlap. There was a lineup of approximately 15 departures ready to go. While on position the S56 ops manager comes over to my position/sector and coordinates that 2 arrivals will be coming to me but will be on 10 mile finals; so that I can launch departures. He noticed and commented ground control had sequenced a good flow; so that I could use 6000 feet and airborne to expedite departures. During this time I have been still working. I continued working the departure bank. 6000 feet and airborne. I lineup Aircraft X; and clear them for takeoff; I lineup a VFR aircraft behind the departing Aircraft X; give the wake turbulence and wait for the 6000 feet and airborne. I anticipate the separation and give takeoff clearance to Aircraft Y and go to the next in line to line up and wait. I scan final and the departure end; and I hear; tower; Aircraft X needs to turn off here. I immediately think the aircraft talking to me is in the lineup on the ground; with a maintenance issue or not ready yet for some reason. I scan the list of flight progress strips on my podium; I don't see who is talking to me. I look at the ASDE (Airport Surface Detection Equipment) and see the aircraft taxing off at A3; or A4. Then I hear the ASDE alarm. Runway 16 right occupied. Aircraft Y is rolling. I try to cancel takeoff clearance but Aircraft Y is airborne. I don't remember the sequence of events from when Aircraft X exited. I know I talked to Aircraft X about his intentions and switched him to ground. I don't remember Aircraft Y acknowledging the cancel takeoff clearance. The FLM comes over and says he needs the n number for the abort aircraft and thinks Aircraft Y is an arrival; not a departure. He tells me just get him; Aircraft Y; to the east side (I just have to work confused through that). I switch the VFR aircraft to another sector and I continued to work the departure bank. After the incident; I hear the facility manager and the S56 ops manager in the back of the tower talking about the incident with the abort and Aircraft Y. I stay on position and work the rest of the departures out. I feel a high level of anxiety; shaky voice; shaky hands; nausea; elevated heartrate; sadness; humiliation; defeat; failure; embarrassment. When I finally did get off position I was crying uncontrollably. Just completely deflated and I feel like I let myself; my managers; my peers; the customers; the airlines; everyone down. I feel ashamed. I don't know that prohibiting tours in the tower would prevent this but it sure is a big distraction to deal with when there is 25 people in the tower cab. Number of actual people in the cab is not known. But I bet its close. Also; if the managers want to discuss a situation don't do it in front of who the situation happens with. Also; when does another facility ops manager go to individual sectors and coordinate aircraft movement?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.