A C172 pilot reports that while 2 C172's were lined up for departure from the same runway the rear most aircraft was cleared for takeoff first by the ATCT local controller.

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Attributes
ACN	431478
Time
Date	199903
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bfi.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : bfi.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 280 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	431478
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters other non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Another busy day at bfi, stimulated by a clear spring day in seattle. An air carrier B737 had landed and was on an extended rollout. The controller on runway 31L had me (aircraft X) at taxiway A9 and another pilot at taxiway A10, instructing each of us to taxi into position and hold. (This is done to get similar planes out sooner when each will be departing in different directions.) I was told I'd be #1 and the other pilot #2. As the B737 rolled off the runway, the controller gave the pilot behind me clearance to take off. He acknowledged and began to accelerate. I informed the controller I was 'standing by at taxiway A9.' she realized the error and told the other pilot to stop his takeoff run, then cleared me to take off. (While this was happening, I was moving off to the side.) the other pilot acknowledged and everything went ok from there. The other pilot either wasn't paying attention to the plane in front of him or didn't think to question the controller. I'm glad I did. The controller just made a simple mistake because of all the activity.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT RPTS THAT WHILE 2 C172'S WERE LINED UP FOR DEP FROM THE SAME RWY THE REAR MOST ACFT WAS CLRED FOR TKOF FIRST BY THE ATCT LCL CTLR.

Narrative: ANOTHER BUSY DAY AT BFI, STIMULATED BY A CLR SPRING DAY IN SEATTLE. AN ACR B737 HAD LANDED AND WAS ON AN EXTENDED ROLLOUT. THE CTLR ON RWY 31L HAD ME (ACFT X) AT TXWY A9 AND ANOTHER PLT AT TXWY A10, INSTRUCTING EACH OF US TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD. (THIS IS DONE TO GET SIMILAR PLANES OUT SOONER WHEN EACH WILL BE DEPARTING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.) I WAS TOLD I'D BE #1 AND THE OTHER PLT #2. AS THE B737 ROLLED OFF THE RWY, THE CTLR GAVE THE PLT BEHIND ME CLRNC TO TAKE OFF. HE ACKNOWLEDGED AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. I INFORMED THE CTLR I WAS 'STANDING BY AT TXWY A9.' SHE REALIZED THE ERROR AND TOLD THE OTHER PLT TO STOP HIS TKOF RUN, THEN CLRED ME TO TAKE OFF. (WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING, I WAS MOVING OFF TO THE SIDE.) THE OTHER PLT ACKNOWLEDGED AND EVERYTHING WENT OK FROM THERE. THE OTHER PLT EITHER WASN'T PAYING ATTN TO THE PLANE IN FRONT OF HIM OR DIDN'T THINK TO QUESTION THE CTLR. I'M GLAD I DID. THE CTLR JUST MADE A SIMPLE MISTAKE BECAUSE OF ALL THE ACTIVITY.

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.