ATCT local controller approved opposite direction takeoff to traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	141983
Time
Date	199003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bis
State Reference	ND
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 1900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bis tower : jfk
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	141983
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The local controller had 4 aircraft on frequency and was working ground local combined. The wind was light and variable and we were advertising runway 31. At the time of the occurrence, the local controller had 2 small aircraft's on opp midfield, downwinds for runway 31. He also had an small transport turning 2 mi straight in for runway 31. He departed small transport X opp direction with instructions to expedite climb. He planned to top all 3 aircraft landing runway 31 before turning small transport X on course. His plan worked,but it scared the hell out of me. I have been an atcs since my teens, and this was one of the dumbest moves I've ever seen a fellow atcs make. If the smas had lost an engine and turned in, or if the small transport had lost one, he could have done nothing to prevent a midair or near midair collision. Atcs's must always leave themselves an out, and he did not. He actually built himself a beautiful box that he would not be able to get out of.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT LCL CTLR APPROVED OPPOSITE DIRECTION TKOF TO TRAFFIC PATTERN.

Narrative: THE LCL CTLR HAD 4 ACFT ON FREQ AND WAS WORKING GND LCL COMBINED. THE WIND WAS LIGHT AND VARIABLE AND WE WERE ADVERTISING RWY 31. AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE, THE LCL CTLR HAD 2 SMA'S ON OPP MIDFIELD, DOWNWINDS FOR RWY 31. HE ALSO HAD AN SMT TURNING 2 MI STRAIGHT IN FOR RWY 31. HE DEPARTED SMT X OPP DIRECTION WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO EXPEDITE CLB. HE PLANNED TO TOP ALL 3 ACFT LNDG RWY 31 BEFORE TURNING SMT X ON COURSE. HIS PLAN WORKED,BUT IT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME. I HAVE BEEN AN ATCS SINCE MY TEENS, AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE DUMBEST MOVES I'VE EVER SEEN A FELLOW ATCS MAKE. IF THE SMAS HAD LOST AN ENG AND TURNED IN, OR IF THE SMT HAD LOST ONE, HE COULD HAVE DONE NOTHING TO PREVENT A MIDAIR OR NMAC. ATCS'S MUST ALWAYS LEAVE THEMSELVES AN OUT, AND HE DID NOT. HE ACTUALLY BUILT HIMSELF A BEAUTIFUL BOX THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF.

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