Narrative:

An aircraft called cno tower ready at the end departing towards santa monica. We observed an aircraft at runway 26R approach end and cleared the aircraft for takeoff on runway 26R. The aircraft did not move, then another aircraft called ready at runway 26R at taxiway G (the full length). Realizing that was not the first aircraft we just cleared for takeoff, I began to scan the airport to find the first aircraft that should have been rolling on runway 26R. I observed no aircraft on runway 26R or runway 26L. I scanned runway 21 and saw a cherokee rolling without a clearance on that runway and a fuel truck crossing runway 21 at taxiway north. I instructed my developmental to do something. Immediately he canceled the takeoff clearance and issued runway exiting instructions. The aircraft complied. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the cno facility manager has called the incident an operational deviation and faulted the local controller for poor phraseology (trainee). Not adequately scanning the runways for traffic and spotting the PA28 sooner., and not listening carefully to readbacks. The reporter said the facility has a comprehensive SOP that is followed closely by everyone. The controller said runways 21 and 26R are both within 4000 ft from the tower and controllers have a good view of traffic. The facility SOP requires all small aircraft aircraft to use runway 26R. If a pilot request is made to use a different runway, the local and ground controllers use painted blocks of wood as memory joggers to indicate runway ownership.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR LCL CTLR AT CNO CLRS A PA28 FOR TKOF ON RWY 26R AND LEARNS THE ACFT IS DEPARTING ON RWY 21.

Narrative: AN ACFT CALLED CNO TWR READY AT THE END DEPARTING TOWARDS SANTA MONICA. WE OBSERVED AN ACFT AT RWY 26R APCH END AND CLRED THE ACFT FOR TKOF ON RWY 26R. THE ACFT DID NOT MOVE, THEN ANOTHER ACFT CALLED READY AT RWY 26R AT TXWY G (THE FULL LENGTH). REALIZING THAT WAS NOT THE FIRST ACFT WE JUST CLRED FOR TKOF, I BEGAN TO SCAN THE ARPT TO FIND THE FIRST ACFT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ROLLING ON RWY 26R. I OBSERVED NO ACFT ON RWY 26R OR RWY 26L. I SCANNED RWY 21 AND SAW A CHEROKEE ROLLING WITHOUT A CLRNC ON THAT RWY AND A FUEL TRUCK XING RWY 21 AT TXWY N. I INSTRUCTED MY DEVELOPMENTAL TO DO SOMETHING. IMMEDIATELY HE CANCELED THE TKOF CLRNC AND ISSUED RWY EXITING INSTRUCTIONS. THE ACFT COMPLIED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE CNO FACILITY MANAGER HAS CALLED THE INCIDENT AN OPERATIONAL DEVIATION AND FAULTED THE LCL CTLR FOR POOR PHRASEOLOGY (TRAINEE). NOT ADEQUATELY SCANNING THE RWYS FOR TFC AND SPOTTING THE PA28 SOONER., AND NOT LISTENING CAREFULLY TO READBACKS. THE RPTR SAID THE FACILITY HAS A COMPREHENSIVE SOP THAT IS FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY EVERYONE. THE CTLR SAID RWYS 21 AND 26R ARE BOTH WITHIN 4000 FT FROM THE TWR AND CTLRS HAVE A GOOD VIEW OF TFC. THE FACILITY SOP REQUIRES ALL SMA ACFT TO USE RWY 26R. IF A PLT REQUEST IS MADE TO USE A DIFFERENT RWY, THE LCL AND GND CTLRS USE PAINTED BLOCKS OF WOOD AS MEMORY JOGGERS TO INDICATE RWY OWNERSHIP.

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.