Narrative:

I was working ground control at time of incident. There were several trucks requesting to cross runway 14 at taxiway Y-3. I coordination with local controller as per local order. I said I had several trucks to cross runway. After clearing vehs and before I was able to report clear of runway, I saw the small aircraft starting takeoff roll. The trucks were still on runway at time and the local controller saw one truck cross but not the other 3. At this point he cleared the small aircraft for takeoff. The small aircraft passed close within 75' behind the trucks on takeoff roll. It could have been prevented if local had waited for the all clear from me, as per our local orders. The pilot saw the vehs and decided he could miss them okay, so he went ahead and started his takeoff. He should have told local he would wait.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DEPARTED WHILE SEVERAL TRUCKS WERE CROSSING THE RWY.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING GND CTL AT TIME OF INCIDENT. THERE WERE SEVERAL TRUCKS REQUESTING TO CROSS RWY 14 AT TXWY Y-3. I COORD WITH LCL CTLR AS PER LCL ORDER. I SAID I HAD SEVERAL TRUCKS TO CROSS RWY. AFTER CLRING VEHS AND BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO RPT CLR OF RWY, I SAW THE SMA STARTING TKOF ROLL. THE TRUCKS WERE STILL ON RWY AT TIME AND THE LCL CTLR SAW ONE TRUCK CROSS BUT NOT THE OTHER 3. AT THIS POINT HE CLRED THE SMA FOR TKOF. THE SMA PASSED CLOSE WITHIN 75' BEHIND THE TRUCKS ON TKOF ROLL. IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF LCL HAD WAITED FOR THE ALL CLR FROM ME, AS PER OUR LCL ORDERS. THE PLT SAW THE VEHS AND DECIDED HE COULD MISS THEM OKAY, SO HE WENT AHEAD AND STARTED HIS TKOF. HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD LCL HE WOULD WAIT.

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.