Narrative:

I arrived to work. The ids 4 display, which presents WX information, NOTAMS, runways in use, etc, indicated runway 22R in use for departures. I signed on to the ground control position and noted at the position a flight progress strip holder with the words 'runway 4R/22L closed.' air carrier #1 (aircraft #1) called to taxi and I issued instructions to taxi to runway 22R. When the aircraft arrived at runway 22R, the local controller was engaged in a discussion with another controller. Since the local controller was using a handset at the position, and he appeared involved in conversation, I asked if it were ok for air carrier #1 to take off (traffic was very light, there was only 1 other aircraft -- a B767 10 mi out on final for another runway). The local controller stated air carrier #1 could take off and that it was ok for me to issue takeoff clearance via the local controller's handset. I cleared air carrier #1 for takeoff at XA27. The aircraft departed runway 22R and was changed to departure control frequency. Shortly thereafter, it was determined that runway 22R had closed 2 hours earlier! Thankfully, there were no people or vehicles on the runway at the time aircraft #1 departed. In fact, airport management was apparently unaware that an aircraft had departed on a closed runway. I looked again at the strip holder indicating the closed runway. It actually said 'runway 4L/22R closed.' I had seen runway 22R listed as the departure runway on the ids 4 and misread the runway closure strip. A controller from the previous shift had taken a phone call from airport management 2 hours earlier, closing runway 4L/22R. He had posted the closed runway strips, but had not changed the ids 4 and the ATIS (both of which indicated runway 22R in use for departure). The local controller was unaware that runway 4L/22R was closed, and thought that runway 22R was still the departure runway (the controller who had taken the closure over the phone had already left the tower to go home).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GND CTLR ASSUMES POS AND APPARENTLY CASUALLY GLANCES AT DATA INDICATING A RWY CLOSURE, MISREADS RWY NUMBER. CLRS ACR TO TKOF FROM CLOSED RWY.

Narrative: I ARRIVED TO WORK. THE IDS 4 DISPLAY, WHICH PRESENTS WX INFO, NOTAMS, RWYS IN USE, ETC, INDICATED RWY 22R IN USE FOR DEPS. I SIGNED ON TO THE GND CTL POS AND NOTED AT THE POS A FLT PROGRESS STRIP HOLDER WITH THE WORDS 'RWY 4R/22L CLOSED.' ACR #1 (ACFT #1) CALLED TO TAXI AND I ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO TAXI TO RWY 22R. WHEN THE ACFT ARRIVED AT RWY 22R, THE LCL CTLR WAS ENGAGED IN A DISCUSSION WITH ANOTHER CTLR. SINCE THE LCL CTLR WAS USING A HANDSET AT THE POS, AND HE APPEARED INVOLVED IN CONVERSATION, I ASKED IF IT WERE OK FOR ACR #1 TO TAKE OFF (TFC WAS VERY LIGHT, THERE WAS ONLY 1 OTHER ACFT -- A B767 10 MI OUT ON FINAL FOR ANOTHER RWY). THE LCL CTLR STATED ACR #1 COULD TAKE OFF AND THAT IT WAS OK FOR ME TO ISSUE TKOF CLRNC VIA THE LCL CTLR'S HANDSET. I CLRED ACR #1 FOR TKOF AT XA27. THE ACFT DEPARTED RWY 22R AND WAS CHANGED TO DEP CTL FREQ. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT RWY 22R HAD CLOSED 2 HRS EARLIER! THANKFULLY, THERE WERE NO PEOPLE OR VEHICLES ON THE RWY AT THE TIME ACFT #1 DEPARTED. IN FACT, ARPT MGMNT WAS APPARENTLY UNAWARE THAT AN ACFT HAD DEPARTED ON A CLOSED RWY. I LOOKED AGAIN AT THE STRIP HOLDER INDICATING THE CLOSED RWY. IT ACTUALLY SAID 'RWY 4L/22R CLOSED.' I HAD SEEN RWY 22R LISTED AS THE DEP RWY ON THE IDS 4 AND MISREAD THE RWY CLOSURE STRIP. A CTLR FROM THE PREVIOUS SHIFT HAD TAKEN A PHONE CALL FROM ARPT MGMNT 2 HRS EARLIER, CLOSING RWY 4L/22R. HE HAD POSTED THE CLOSED RWY STRIPS, BUT HAD NOT CHANGED THE IDS 4 AND THE ATIS (BOTH OF WHICH INDICATED RWY 22R IN USE FOR DEP). THE LCL CTLR WAS UNAWARE THAT RWY 4L/22R WAS CLOSED, AND THOUGHT THAT RWY 22R WAS STILL THE DEP RWY (THE CTLR WHO HAD TAKEN THE CLOSURE OVER THE PHONE HAD ALREADY LEFT THE TWR TO GO HOME).

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.