Narrative:

While working local control #2 (LC2); local control #3 (LC3) called and requested a release on a cessna to depart runway 26L and turn out sbound across runway 27L and runway 27R. I approved the request. A few moments later air carrier X approached runway 27R ready to depart. I cleared air carrier X for takeoff and issued a heading of 250 degrees. As air carrier X became airborne; I noticed that aircraft Y was still north of runway 27R and in conflict with air carrier X. I issued a heading of 210 degrees to air carrier X and issued traffic. Air carrier X turned left and descended approximately 100 ft to avoid the cessna. After the conflict was resolved; I issued a heading of 250 degrees to air carrier X and instructed him to contact departure. Supplemental information from acn 665611: C208 departed runway 26L (north side of airport); given 190 degree heading for sbound destination. Other local controller 'working' runway 27R; on south side of airport; cleared MD80 for takeoff; resulting in conflict with C208. Other local controller vectored MD80 around C208. Visual separation maintained at all times. MD80 crew advised other local controller that they would be filing 'near miss' report. Supplemental information from acn 665867: received takeoff clearance runway 27R atl. Upon liftoff; tower gave instructions to turn to 210 degree heading. Note that this is not the normal departure instructions at atl. First officer was flying. Immediately after gear retraction; and prior to turning; first officer saw a cessna caravan on a sbound heading approaching our flight path. At 400 ft AGL; the first officer had to take evasive action to avoid a possible midair collision. He simultaneously lowered the nose and rolled to 30 degree left bank. Climb stopped at 600 ft AGL and the plane descended slowly to 500 ft AGL; causing the GPWS 'don't sink' warning to activate. After avoiding the cessna; a normal departure was resumed. ZTL asked us to call them upon arrival at orf. ZTL said that the north side (runways 26L/right) tower had coordination with the south side (runways 27L/right) tower for the cessna to depart runway 26 and turn to the south across the runway 27R departure path. However; the south side tower controller forgot and issued our takeoff clearance. He realized the error as we were lifting off and issued the 210 degree heading; but it was too late. ATC said their radar tapes indicated .14 mi horizontal and 600 ft vertical separation. However; our TCASII indicated 300 ft separation as we approached 600 ft AGL. Since we were below 1000 ft; we had no TCASII warnings. I feel very fortunate that the first officer was flying. From my seat; I was initially unable to see the cessna. The first officer's timely visual contact and evasive action may have prevented a midair collision. In addition; he has many yrs of experience in the MD88 which proved invaluable for aggressively maneuvering the aircraft at slow airspds and low altitude. Above 10000 ft MSL; I spoke with the flight attendants and made a PA to the passenger. There were no injuries; the cabin was fine so we continued to orf.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATL LCL CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AFTER APPROVING TURNS ACROSS DEP END OF RWY AND THEN ISSUED TKOF CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING LCL CTL #2 (LC2); LCL CTL #3 (LC3) CALLED AND REQUESTED A RELEASE ON A CESSNA TO DEPART RWY 26L AND TURN OUT SBOUND ACROSS RWY 27L AND RWY 27R. I APPROVED THE REQUEST. A FEW MOMENTS LATER ACR X APCHED RWY 27R READY TO DEPART. I CLRED ACR X FOR TKOF AND ISSUED A HDG OF 250 DEGS. AS ACR X BECAME AIRBORNE; I NOTICED THAT ACFT Y WAS STILL N OF RWY 27R AND IN CONFLICT WITH ACR X. I ISSUED A HDG OF 210 DEGS TO ACR X AND ISSUED TFC. ACR X TURNED L AND DSNDED APPROX 100 FT TO AVOID THE CESSNA. AFTER THE CONFLICT WAS RESOLVED; I ISSUED A HDG OF 250 DEGS TO ACR X AND INSTRUCTED HIM TO CONTACT DEP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 665611: C208 DEPARTED RWY 26L (N SIDE OF ARPT); GIVEN 190 DEG HDG FOR SBOUND DEST. OTHER LCL CTLR 'WORKING' RWY 27R; ON S SIDE OF ARPT; CLRED MD80 FOR TKOF; RESULTING IN CONFLICT WITH C208. OTHER LCL CTLR VECTORED MD80 AROUND C208. VISUAL SEPARATION MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES. MD80 CREW ADVISED OTHER LCL CTLR THAT THEY WOULD BE FILING 'NEAR MISS' RPT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 665867: RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC RWY 27R ATL. UPON LIFTOFF; TWR GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN TO 210 DEG HDG. NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT THE NORMAL DEP INSTRUCTIONS AT ATL. FO WAS FLYING. IMMEDIATELY AFTER GEAR RETRACTION; AND PRIOR TO TURNING; FO SAW A CESSNA CARAVAN ON A SBOUND HDG APCHING OUR FLT PATH. AT 400 FT AGL; THE FO HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID A POSSIBLE MIDAIR COLLISION. HE SIMULTANEOUSLY LOWERED THE NOSE AND ROLLED TO 30 DEG L BANK. CLB STOPPED AT 600 FT AGL AND THE PLANE DSNDED SLOWLY TO 500 FT AGL; CAUSING THE GPWS 'DON'T SINK' WARNING TO ACTIVATE. AFTER AVOIDING THE CESSNA; A NORMAL DEP WAS RESUMED. ZTL ASKED US TO CALL THEM UPON ARR AT ORF. ZTL SAID THAT THE N SIDE (RWYS 26L/R) TWR HAD COORD WITH THE S SIDE (RWYS 27L/R) TWR FOR THE CESSNA TO DEPART RWY 26 AND TURN TO THE S ACROSS THE RWY 27R DEP PATH. HOWEVER; THE S SIDE TWR CTLR FORGOT AND ISSUED OUR TKOF CLRNC. HE REALIZED THE ERROR AS WE WERE LIFTING OFF AND ISSUED THE 210 DEG HDG; BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. ATC SAID THEIR RADAR TAPES INDICATED .14 MI HORIZ AND 600 FT VERT SEPARATION. HOWEVER; OUR TCASII INDICATED 300 FT SEPARATION AS WE APCHED 600 FT AGL. SINCE WE WERE BELOW 1000 FT; WE HAD NO TCASII WARNINGS. I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE FO WAS FLYING. FROM MY SEAT; I WAS INITIALLY UNABLE TO SEE THE CESSNA. THE FO'S TIMELY VISUAL CONTACT AND EVASIVE ACTION MAY HAVE PREVENTED A MIDAIR COLLISION. IN ADDITION; HE HAS MANY YRS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE MD88 WHICH PROVED INVALUABLE FOR AGGRESSIVELY MANEUVERING THE ACFT AT SLOW AIRSPDS AND LOW ALT. ABOVE 10000 FT MSL; I SPOKE WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND MADE A PA TO THE PAX. THERE WERE NO INJURIES; THE CABIN WAS FINE SO WE CONTINUED TO ORF.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.