Narrative:

A319 on runway 5R in position. Crossing runways in use for both arrs and departures. Another aircraft (C403) landed runway 34. A319 cleared for takeoff. Pilot responded 'someone on the runway.' thinking it's the cessna off runway 34, I looked midfield and canceled takeoff clearance, told the A319 the traffic was clear of the runway. As the A319 responded again with 'someone on runway,' I saw lights from the B1900 on runway 5R. The B1900 missed his taxi route and hold short instructions. As numerous aircraft had been taxied to runway 5R all evening, I had no reason to notice that aircraft (B1900) approaching runway 5R, fully expecting it to turn at taxiway prior to the runway. My attention was drawn to the C402 exiting runway 34 just past the runway intersection. Other distrs involved: the C402 reported taxiway sign 'inoperative,' which led me to question his exiting at the taxiway or onto runway 5R. Numerous 'dsp/edct' times to be met. Much coordination with departure. The A319 had his dsp run out and had to re-coordination a departure time for them. Coordination with the departure controller for release of the A319 included traffic from which I was to visually separate. Much coordination with ground for crossing of runways of both inbound and outbound aircraft. A possible factor was the intersection at which the B1900 entered the runway 5R may have been blocked by the support pillar for tower window. However, this usually is avoided by simply moving slightly when you scan. The main distraction was the C402 landing -- for me to visually ensure them clear of runway 5R. Then they reported the taxiway sign inoperative, drawing my attention again to them. And since the B1900 was on a taxi route that is routinely used for runway 5R, I had no need to think the lights coming toward the runway would not turn to parallel that runway. The 3 controllers in the tower also don't recall seeing the landing light on the B1900, it might have made the aircraft easier to see at the edge of the runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT LCL CTLR MISSES B1900 ACFT ENTERING THE ACTIVE RWY. A319 TKOF CLRNC CANCELED BY THE LCL CTLR AT PVD.

Narrative: A319 ON RWY 5R IN POS. XING RWYS IN USE FOR BOTH ARRS AND DEPS. ANOTHER ACFT (C403) LANDED RWY 34. A319 CLRED FOR TKOF. PLT RESPONDED 'SOMEONE ON THE RWY.' THINKING IT'S THE CESSNA OFF RWY 34, I LOOKED MIDFIELD AND CANCELED TKOF CLRNC, TOLD THE A319 THE TFC WAS CLR OF THE RWY. AS THE A319 RESPONDED AGAIN WITH 'SOMEONE ON RWY,' I SAW LIGHTS FROM THE B1900 ON RWY 5R. THE B1900 MISSED HIS TAXI RTE AND HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS. AS NUMEROUS ACFT HAD BEEN TAXIED TO RWY 5R ALL EVENING, I HAD NO REASON TO NOTICE THAT ACFT (B1900) APCHING RWY 5R, FULLY EXPECTING IT TO TURN AT TXWY PRIOR TO THE RWY. MY ATTN WAS DRAWN TO THE C402 EXITING RWY 34 JUST PAST THE RWY INTXN. OTHER DISTRS INVOLVED: THE C402 RPTED TXWY SIGN 'INOP,' WHICH LED ME TO QUESTION HIS EXITING AT THE TXWY OR ONTO RWY 5R. NUMEROUS 'DSP/EDCT' TIMES TO BE MET. MUCH COORD WITH DEP. THE A319 HAD HIS DSP RUN OUT AND HAD TO RE-COORD A DEP TIME FOR THEM. COORD WITH THE DEP CTLR FOR RELEASE OF THE A319 INCLUDED TFC FROM WHICH I WAS TO VISUALLY SEPARATE. MUCH COORD WITH GND FOR XING OF RWYS OF BOTH INBOUND AND OUTBOUND ACFT. A POSSIBLE FACTOR WAS THE INTXN AT WHICH THE B1900 ENTERED THE RWY 5R MAY HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY THE SUPPORT PILLAR FOR TWR WINDOW. HOWEVER, THIS USUALLY IS AVOIDED BY SIMPLY MOVING SLIGHTLY WHEN YOU SCAN. THE MAIN DISTR WAS THE C402 LNDG -- FOR ME TO VISUALLY ENSURE THEM CLR OF RWY 5R. THEN THEY RPTED THE TXWY SIGN INOP, DRAWING MY ATTN AGAIN TO THEM. AND SINCE THE B1900 WAS ON A TAXI RTE THAT IS ROUTINELY USED FOR RWY 5R, I HAD NO NEED TO THINK THE LIGHTS COMING TOWARD THE RWY WOULD NOT TURN TO PARALLEL THAT RWY. THE 3 CTLRS IN THE TWR ALSO DON'T RECALL SEEING THE LNDG LIGHT ON THE B1900, IT MIGHT HAVE MADE THE ACFT EASIER TO SEE AT THE EDGE OF THE RWY.

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.