Commuter aircraft cleared for takeoff as small transport is on approach.

Attributes
ACN	158941
Time
Date	199010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aus
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	158941
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 50 vertical : 20
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

On approaching end of runway 17 aus, called tower that flight was ready for takeoff. Shortly received takeoff clearance. While 50' from runway on taxiway, saw a twin engine turbo propeller on very short final. Immediately stopped aircraft and asked tower to confirm that he had cleared us for takeoff. He replied, 'flight XXX, yes I did, but I shouldn't have. Taxi into position and hold.' (by then the turbo propeller was clear of threshold and taxiway.) thereafter received takeoff clearance. Basically would seem to be a problem on controller's monitoring position of aircraft while in air traffic area. Pilots should be sure and clear approachs before entering onto runways, and take nothing for granted. Pilot in turbo propeller could have caught the conflict if he/she was aware of radio calls and situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT CLEARED FOR TKOF AS SMT IS ON APCH.

Narrative: ON APCHING END OF RWY 17 AUS, CALLED TWR THAT FLT WAS READY FOR TKOF. SHORTLY RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC. WHILE 50' FROM RWY ON TXWY, SAW A TWIN ENG TURBO PROP ON VERY SHORT FINAL. IMMEDIATELY STOPPED ACFT AND ASKED TWR TO CONFIRM THAT HE HAD CLRED US FOR TKOF. HE REPLIED, 'FLT XXX, YES I DID, BUT I SHOULDN'T HAVE. TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD.' (BY THEN THE TURBO PROP WAS CLR OF THRESHOLD AND TXWY.) THEREAFTER RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC. BASICALLY WOULD SEEM TO BE A PROB ON CTLR'S MONITORING POS OF ACFT WHILE IN ATA. PLTS SHOULD BE SURE AND CLR APCHS BEFORE ENTERING ONTO RWYS, AND TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED. PLT IN TURBO PROP COULD HAVE CAUGHT THE CONFLICT IF HE/SHE WAS AWARE OF RADIO CALLS AND SITUATION.

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.