An aircraft was cleared for takeoff with an aircraft crossing the runway downfield.

Attributes
ACN	153893
Time
Date	199008
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	153893
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

We were cleared into position and hold runway 32L full length. Traffic was landing runway 9R with minimum spacing (intersecting) with landing traffic approximately 1 mi out for runway 9R. We were 'cleared for takeoff.' when my lights came on, they illuminated a heavy transport freighter just beginning to cross runway 32L, on the runway 9R parallel taxiway. I allowed the heavy transport to clear the runway then released brakes. This allowed the runway 9R landing traffic to be closer in. Apparently there was a miscom between tower/ground/the heavy transport freighter. I never saw the heavy transport until I picked up a couple flashes of movement in my landing lights as he was several hundred ft down the runway from my position. A dangerous situation was narrowly avoided.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACFT WAS CLEARED FOR TKOF WITH AN ACFT CROSSING THE RWY DOWNFIELD.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 32L FULL LENGTH. TFC WAS LNDG RWY 9R WITH MINIMUM SPACING (INTERSECTING) WITH LNDG TFC APPROX 1 MI OUT FOR RWY 9R. WE WERE 'CLRED FOR TKOF.' WHEN MY LIGHTS CAME ON, THEY ILLUMINATED A HVT FREIGHTER JUST BEGINNING TO CROSS RWY 32L, ON THE RWY 9R PARALLEL TXWY. I ALLOWED THE HVT TO CLR THE RWY THEN RELEASED BRAKES. THIS ALLOWED THE RWY 9R LNDG TFC TO BE CLOSER IN. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A MISCOM BTWN TWR/GND/THE HVT FREIGHTER. I NEVER SAW THE HVT UNTIL I PICKED UP A COUPLE FLASHES OF MOVEMENT IN MY LNDG LIGHTS AS HE WAS SEVERAL HUNDRED FT DOWN THE RWY FROM MY POS. A DANGEROUS SITUATION WAS NARROWLY AVOIDED.

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.