Narrative:

I was working mid shift. Runway 4L closed at midnight. Traffic was absolutely dead. At XA25 local an small aircraft freight hauler called for taxi. They call every night at this time. Their ramp is next to takeoff end of runway 4L. I habitually gave the aircraft taxi to runway 4L and when he called ready 3 mins later, I scanned the runway as usual and cleared him for takeoff. We have a red laminated 'runway 4L closed' sign (about 4x10') that I had placed where I always place it (used to prevent this type of occurrence), but as I wasn't at my usual seating area, it was of no help. The bottom line is I fell into a routine pattern that doesn't include a closed runway. Because of the almost hour long gap between operations and the fact that I didn't see anything out the window (vehs, etc), I didn't remember the runway closed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR CLEARED ACFT FOR TKOF ON CLOSED RWY.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING MID SHIFT. RWY 4L CLOSED AT MIDNIGHT. TFC WAS ABSOLUTELY DEAD. AT XA25 LCL AN SMA FREIGHT HAULER CALLED FOR TAXI. THEY CALL EVERY NIGHT AT THIS TIME. THEIR RAMP IS NEXT TO TKOF END OF RWY 4L. I HABITUALLY GAVE THE ACFT TAXI TO RWY 4L AND WHEN HE CALLED READY 3 MINS LATER, I SCANNED THE RWY AS USUAL AND CLRED HIM FOR TKOF. WE HAVE A RED LAMINATED 'RWY 4L CLOSED' SIGN (ABOUT 4X10') THAT I HAD PLACED WHERE I ALWAYS PLACE IT (USED TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE), BUT AS I WASN'T AT MY USUAL SEATING AREA, IT WAS OF NO HELP. THE BOTTOM LINE IS I FELL INTO A ROUTINE PATTERN THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE A CLOSED RWY. BECAUSE OF THE ALMOST HR LONG GAP BTWN OPS AND THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING OUT THE WINDOW (VEHS, ETC), I DIDN'T REMEMBER THE RWY CLOSED.

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.