A B777 is cleared for takeoff with another aircraft still on the runway down field.

Attributes
ACN	579623
Time
Date	200304
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eddf.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : eddf.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	579623
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical incursion : runway non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

On runway 18, eddf, other aircraft cleared from taxiway at midfield for takeoff while we were cleared in position to hold at the end of the runway. Other aircraft was given second takeoff clearance and remained on the runway without taking off. We were then cleared for takeoff while other aircraft remained motionless on the runway. Other aircraft still did not takeoff, and after questioning our clearance with the tower, the tower asked the B737 what he was doing, and he stated 'waiting for wake turbulence.' our takeoff clearance was cancelled. Had the visibility been reduced, we would never have caught the fact that the other aircraft had not taken off, and could have initiated the takeoff roll, impacting the other aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 IS CLRED FOR TKOF WITH ANOTHER ACFT STILL ON THE RWY DOWN FIELD.

Narrative: ON RWY 18, EDDF, OTHER ACFT CLRED FROM TXWY AT MIDFIELD FOR TKOF WHILE WE WERE CLRED IN POS TO HOLD AT THE END OF THE RWY. OTHER ACFT WAS GIVEN SECOND TKOF CLRNC AND REMAINED ON THE RWY WITHOUT TAKING OFF. WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR TKOF WHILE OTHER ACFT REMAINED MOTIONLESS ON THE RWY. OTHER ACFT STILL DID NOT TKOF, AND AFTER QUESTIONING OUR CLRNC WITH THE TWR, THE TWR ASKED THE B737 WHAT HE WAS DOING, AND HE STATED 'WAITING FOR WAKE TURB.' OUR TKOF CLRNC WAS CANCELLED. HAD THE VISIBILITY BEEN REDUCED, WE WOULD NEVER HAVE CAUGHT THE FACT THAT THE OTHER ACFT HAD NOT TAKEN OFF, AND COULD HAVE INITIATED THE TKOF ROLL, IMPACTING THE OTHER ACFT.

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.