Narrative:

Air carrier X was cleared for takeoff on runway 18. The tower advised us of traffic on a 2 mi final for runway 21. At about 100 KTS I sighted the aircraft on approach to runway 21 off to our left. The aircraft was an small transport on a very short final to runway 21. It was obvious to me that we were going to arrive at the intersection of runway 21 at the same time as the small transport. Just before initiating reject procedures a different controller's voice told the small transport to make an immediate left turn. The small aircraft's pilot complied immediately so we continued our takeoff. We were very heavy and at the point I would have rejected we would have been over 120 KTS which was still below V1 but would have been a very difficult procedure, probably resulting in blown tires. I believe that some sort of controller training was in progress at the time. Unfortunately, this sort of incident is not at all uncommon. Words like 'immediate' and 'expedite' are all too common at busy airports. Perhaps the answer, however unpopular, would be to limit access to some of our busier airports and also staff our control towers with enough experienced controllers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR TRAINING IN PROGRESS. MULTIPLE RWY OP INTERSECTING RWYS. SMT Y ISSUED GAR TO MAINTAIN STANDARD SEPARATION FROM ACR X.

Narrative: ACR X WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 18. THE TWR ADVISED US OF TFC ON A 2 MI FINAL FOR RWY 21. AT ABOUT 100 KTS I SIGHTED THE ACFT ON APCH TO RWY 21 OFF TO OUR L. THE ACFT WAS AN SMT ON A VERY SHORT FINAL TO RWY 21. IT WAS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT WE WERE GOING TO ARRIVE AT THE INTXN OF RWY 21 AT THE SAME TIME AS THE SMT. JUST BEFORE INITIATING REJECT PROCS A DIFFERENT CTLR'S VOICE TOLD THE SMT TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE L TURN. THE SMA'S PLT COMPLIED IMMEDIATELY SO WE CONTINUED OUR TKOF. WE WERE VERY HVY AND AT THE POINT I WOULD HAVE REJECTED WE WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER 120 KTS WHICH WAS STILL BELOW V1 BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT PROC, PROBABLY RESULTING IN BLOWN TIRES. I BELIEVE THAT SOME SORT OF CTLR TRAINING WAS IN PROGRESS AT THE TIME. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS SORT OF INCIDENT IS NOT AT ALL UNCOMMON. WORDS LIKE 'IMMEDIATE' AND 'EXPEDITE' ARE ALL TOO COMMON AT BUSY ARPTS. PERHAPS THE ANSWER, HOWEVER UNPOPULAR, WOULD BE TO LIMIT ACCESS TO SOME OF OUR BUSIER ARPTS AND ALSO STAFF OUR CTL TWRS WITH ENOUGH EXPERIENCED CTLRS.

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.