Narrative:

After a preceding touch and go aircraft had passed over the threshold of the runway, an small aircraft Y was instructed by ATC to 'taxi into position and hold' until the approved sep was assured. At this time the small transport X was on final approach 2 mi from the runway threshold. During the interim time period, attention was diverted to other aircraft in the traffic pattern. At the time of the conflict was observed the small transport X was at approximately 450' MSL (100' AGL) descending, 1/4 mi from the runway end with the small aircraft Y still in position on the threshold. Small transport X was immediately issued the instruction to go around, eventually passing approximately 40' above the small aircraft Y. Small transport X began his climb out immediately after instructed and when the proper spacing existed, this time between small transport X preceding and small aircraft Y following, small aircraft Y was cleared for takeoff. Contributing factors seem to be the # of aircraft in the area at the time as well as the controller's momentary lapse in scanning runways. As in any profession, some individuals are naturally better than others. To avoid any recurrence of this type of situation it is imperative that each controller know his or her personal limitations and never exceed them. Also, in the end there is no substitute for scanning, scanning, scanning!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LCL CTLR PUT SMA IN POSITION AND HOLD ON RWY AND THEN FORGOT HIM. SMT WAS ON SHORT FINAL WHEN TWR TOLD SMT TO GO AROUND.

Narrative: AFTER A PRECEDING TOUCH AND GO ACFT HAD PASSED OVER THE THRESHOLD OF THE RWY, AN SMA Y WAS INSTRUCTED BY ATC TO 'TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD' UNTIL THE APPROVED SEP WAS ASSURED. AT THIS TIME THE SMT X WAS ON FINAL APCH 2 MI FROM THE RWY THRESHOLD. DURING THE INTERIM TIME PERIOD, ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO OTHER ACFT IN THE TFC PATTERN. AT THE TIME OF THE CONFLICT WAS OBSERVED THE SMT X WAS AT APPROX 450' MSL (100' AGL) DSNDING, 1/4 MI FROM THE RWY END WITH THE SMA Y STILL IN POS ON THE THRESHOLD. SMT X WAS IMMEDIATELY ISSUED THE INSTRUCTION TO GO AROUND, EVENTUALLY PASSING APPROX 40' ABOVE THE SMA Y. SMT X BEGAN HIS CLBOUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER INSTRUCTED AND WHEN THE PROPER SPACING EXISTED, THIS TIME BTWN SMT X PRECEDING AND SMA Y FOLLOWING, SMA Y WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS SEEM TO BE THE # OF ACFT IN THE AREA AT THE TIME AS WELL AS THE CTLR'S MOMENTARY LAPSE IN SCANNING RWYS. AS IN ANY PROFESSION, SOME INDIVIDUALS ARE NATURALLY BETTER THAN OTHERS. TO AVOID ANY RECURRENCE OF THIS TYPE OF SITUATION IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT EACH CTLR KNOW HIS OR HER PERSONAL LIMITATIONS AND NEVER EXCEED THEM. ALSO, IN THE END THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR SCANNING, SCANNING, SCANNING!

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.