Local controller clears reporter's aircraft for takeoff with a commuter aircraft still on the runway...

Attributes
ACN	385899
Time
Date	199711
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	385899
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Taxied out from ramp to runway 27R. This is a very short taxi. Tower asked if we were ready for takeoff and we told them we were not. After we completed checklist we told the tower we were ready. After landing commuter plane we were cleared into position and hold. We taxied onto runway, the commuter was still on runway. Tower cleared us for takeoff and we were still looking at the tail of the landing commuter plane on the runway. The tower said again you are cleared for takeoff and my copilot said that the plane is still on the runway. The tower comes back that the plane is off the runway. The commuter plane is now started to turn off because I can see the side of the plane. I start my takeoff. The copilot and tower are still discussing that the plane was clear or not. There are 2 different voices coming from the tower and both are saying that the plane is clear of the runway. The tower then canceled our takeoff clearance and to exit first turnoff to right. This turnoff is a high speed turnoff for runway 9L, which I made but took some work because of the size of DC8. The landing plane had to go around. After exiting runway I asked for the tower phone number so I could talk to the supervisor but I was told he was the supervisor and they did not give me the number. 1) why would we lie about the plane on the runway? 2) why are we cleared to takeoff before the plane even starts to turn off? 3) why is tower so argumentative? 4) why take off a plane with traffic so close together?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LCL CTLR CLRS RPTR'S ACFT FOR TKOF WITH A COMMUTER ACFT STILL ON THE RWY.

Narrative: TAXIED OUT FROM RAMP TO RWY 27R. THIS IS A VERY SHORT TAXI. TWR ASKED IF WE WERE READY FOR TKOF AND WE TOLD THEM WE WERE NOT. AFTER WE COMPLETED CHKLIST WE TOLD THE TWR WE WERE READY. AFTER LNDG COMMUTER PLANE WE WERE CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD. WE TAXIED ONTO RWY, THE COMMUTER WAS STILL ON RWY. TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF AND WE WERE STILL LOOKING AT THE TAIL OF THE LNDG COMMUTER PLANE ON THE RWY. THE TWR SAID AGAIN YOU ARE CLRED FOR TKOF AND MY COPLT SAID THAT THE PLANE IS STILL ON THE RWY. THE TWR COMES BACK THAT THE PLANE IS OFF THE RWY. THE COMMUTER PLANE IS NOW STARTED TO TURN OFF BECAUSE I CAN SEE THE SIDE OF THE PLANE. I START MY TKOF. THE COPLT AND TWR ARE STILL DISCUSSING THAT THE PLANE WAS CLR OR NOT. THERE ARE 2 DIFFERENT VOICES COMING FROM THE TWR AND BOTH ARE SAYING THAT THE PLANE IS CLR OF THE RWY. THE TWR THEN CANCELED OUR TKOF CLRNC AND TO EXIT FIRST TURNOFF TO R. THIS TURNOFF IS A HIGH SPD TURNOFF FOR RWY 9L, WHICH I MADE BUT TOOK SOME WORK BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF DC8. THE LNDG PLANE HAD TO GAR. AFTER EXITING RWY I ASKED FOR THE TWR PHONE NUMBER SO I COULD TALK TO THE SUPVR BUT I WAS TOLD HE WAS THE SUPVR AND THEY DID NOT GIVE ME THE NUMBER. 1) WHY WOULD WE LIE ABOUT THE PLANE ON THE RWY? 2) WHY ARE WE CLRED TO TKOF BEFORE THE PLANE EVEN STARTS TO TURN OFF? 3) WHY IS TWR SO ARGUMENTATIVE? 4) WHY TAKE OFF A PLANE WITH TFC SO CLOSE TOGETHER?

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.