Narrative:

I was working local control for runways 26R and 26L at hartsfield international airport. Ground control had taxied out a citation C550 to runway 26R for departure. Runway 26R is normally an arrival runway but when traffic has slowed, we routinely taxi GA and air cargo aircraft to it because its proximity to air cargo and GA parking. This saved the hassle of trying to cross 2 active runways to take them to runway 26L, the normal departure runway. It was toward the end of the arrival rush and I still had a few aircraft on final for runway 26R. I instructed a B737 to sidestep to runway 26L to land so I could depart the C550 off runway 26R. As soon as the previous arrival had passed, I told the C550 to taxi into position and hold on runway 26R. As soon as the arrival cleared the runway, I issued takeoff clearance to the C550. There was no acknowledgement and he (the C550) continued to situation there. We have had a problem with a 'blind spot' on the local control frequency at the approach end of runway 26R. I tried the citation a couple more times to no avail. I had to go to the back of the tower to an emergency transmitter to communication with the C550. I finally re-achieved communication and cleared the C550 for takeoff. When he finally rolled, an md-80 was bearing down on him about 2 mi out. FAA maintenance has known about this for quite some time. Moving the antennae was tried but failed to alleviate the problem. It continues to happen. This is an unsafe situation. ATC local natca has filed an unsatisfactory condition report and other NASA reports to try to get something done.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C550 POS AND HOLD ON RWY LOST COM WITH TWR BECAUSE OF BLIND SPOT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING LCL CTL FOR RWYS 26R AND 26L AT HARTSFIELD INTL ARPT. GND CTL HAD TAXIED OUT A CITATION C550 TO RWY 26R FOR DEP. RWY 26R IS NORMALLY AN ARR RWY BUT WHEN TFC HAS SLOWED, WE ROUTINELY TAXI GA AND AIR CARGO ACFT TO IT BECAUSE ITS PROX TO AIR CARGO AND GA PARKING. THIS SAVED THE HASSLE OF TRYING TO CROSS 2 ACTIVE RWYS TO TAKE THEM TO RWY 26L, THE NORMAL DEP RWY. IT WAS TOWARD THE END OF THE ARR RUSH AND I STILL HAD A FEW ACFT ON FINAL FOR RWY 26R. I INSTRUCTED A B737 TO SIDESTEP TO RWY 26L TO LAND SO I COULD DEPART THE C550 OFF RWY 26R. AS SOON AS THE PREVIOUS ARR HAD PASSED, I TOLD THE C550 TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 26R. AS SOON AS THE ARR CLRED THE RWY, I ISSUED TKOF CLRNC TO THE C550. THERE WAS NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND HE (THE C550) CONTINUED TO SIT THERE. WE HAVE HAD A PROB WITH A 'BLIND SPOT' ON THE LCL CTL FREQ AT THE APCH END OF RWY 26R. I TRIED THE CITATION A COUPLE MORE TIMES TO NO AVAIL. I HAD TO GO TO THE BACK OF THE TWR TO AN EMER XMITTER TO COM WITH THE C550. I FINALLY RE-ACHIEVED COM AND CLRED THE C550 FOR TKOF. WHEN HE FINALLY ROLLED, AN MD-80 WAS BEARING DOWN ON HIM ABOUT 2 MI OUT. FAA MAINT HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. MOVING THE ANTENNAE WAS TRIED BUT FAILED TO ALLEVIATE THE PROB. IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. THIS IS AN UNSAFE SIT. ATC LCL NATCA HAS FILED AN UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION RPT AND OTHER NASA RPTS TO TRY TO GET SOMETHING DONE.

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.