X takeoff without clearance had less than standard separation from Y. Runway incursion.

Attributes
ACN	314132
Time
Date	199508
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pub
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : holding
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Cessna Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	314132
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I started to clear X for takeoff runway 26L. In the same transmission I told him to disregard and runway 26L taxi in to position and hold. X acknowledged. I then instructed Y to cross runway 26L. I depressed the recorded controller relief briefing button. It locked into position. As I was standing approximately 6 ft from the position relief button pointing out traffic to the relieving controller who was standing between me and the button I noticed X starting a departure roll. I keyed up and told X to cancel takeoff clearance. No response. I then told Y to hold short of runway 26L. No response. I was able to unlock the briefing button. However, it was too late to avoid a pilot deviation. Solution: if controllers are required to depress a position relief button that locks into place to record sometimes lengthy briefings, then that button must have override capability to ensure safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: X TKOF WITHOUT CLRNC HAD LTSS FROM Y. RWY INCURSION.

Narrative: I STARTED TO CLR X FOR TKOF RWY 26L. IN THE SAME XMISSION I TOLD HIM TO DISREGARD AND RWY 26L TAXI IN TO POS AND HOLD. X ACKNOWLEDGED. I THEN INSTRUCTED Y TO CROSS RWY 26L. I DEPRESSED THE RECORDED CTLR RELIEF BRIEFING BUTTON. IT LOCKED INTO POS. AS I WAS STANDING APPROX 6 FT FROM THE POS RELIEF BUTTON POINTING OUT TFC TO THE RELIEVING CTLR WHO WAS STANDING BTWN ME AND THE BUTTON I NOTICED X STARTING A DEP ROLL. I KEYED UP AND TOLD X TO CANCEL TKOF CLRNC. NO RESPONSE. I THEN TOLD Y TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 26L. NO RESPONSE. I WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE BRIEFING BUTTON. HOWEVER, IT WAS TOO LATE TO AVOID A PLT DEV. SOLUTION: IF CTLRS ARE REQUIRED TO DEPRESS A POS RELIEF BUTTON THAT LOCKS INTO PLACE TO RECORD SOMETIMES LENGTHY BRIEFINGS, THEN THAT BUTTON MUST HAVE OVERRIDE CAPABILITY TO ENSURE SAFETY.

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.