Narrative:

I was working local 2 and 3 (LC1/LC2) combined during afternoon airline inbound/outbound push. A C421 had taxied from company X via taxiway B; and had been instructed by ground 2 (GS2) to; 'hold short of taxiway south; contact tower 119.7.' the pilot called me and stated that he was ready to departure. At the time; mem was landing runways 18L and 18R; and departing runway 18C. Many aircraft landing runway 18L are instructed to; 'turn right; join taxiway south northbound.' I issued the wind and cleared the C421 for takeoff. After scanning down the runway; my eyes came back to the cessna and the aircraft had started rolling down taxiway south! I immediately cancelled the takeoff clearance and told the pilot to stop. Once the aircraft came to a halt; I directed the pilot to runway 18C. Thankfully there were no landing aircraft exiting runway 18L onto taxiway south. After this event; nearly every controller in the tower told of a similar story involving taxiway south. Apparently the intersection of txwys B and south are very confusing. We should look into changing the markings or changing our technique in the tower for more specific hold short or departure information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MEM TWR CTLR RPTS A C421 ATTEMPTED TKOF FROM TXWY S.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING LOCAL 2 AND 3 (LC1/LC2) COMBINED DURING AFTERNOON AIRLINE INBOUND/OUTBOUND PUSH. A C421 HAD TAXIED FROM COMPANY X VIA TXWY B; AND HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED BY GND 2 (GS2) TO; 'HOLD SHORT OF TXWY S; CONTACT TWR 119.7.' THE PLT CALLED ME AND STATED THAT HE WAS READY TO DEP. AT THE TIME; MEM WAS LNDG RWYS 18L AND 18R; AND DEPARTING RWY 18C. MANY ACFT LNDG RWY 18L ARE INSTRUCTED TO; 'TURN RIGHT; JOIN TXWY S NBOUND.' I ISSUED THE WIND AND CLRED THE C421 FOR TKOF. AFTER SCANNING DOWN THE RWY; MY EYES CAME BACK TO THE CESSNA AND THE ACFT HAD STARTED ROLLING DOWN TXWY S! I IMMEDIATELY CANCELLED THE TKOF CLRNC AND TOLD THE PLT TO STOP. ONCE THE ACFT CAME TO A HALT; I DIRECTED THE PLT TO RWY 18C. THANKFULLY THERE WERE NO LNDG ACFT EXITING RWY 18L ONTO TXWY S. AFTER THIS EVENT; NEARLY EVERY CTLR IN THE TWR TOLD OF A SIMILAR STORY INVOLVING TXWY S. APPARENTLY THE INTXN OF TXWYS B AND S ARE VERY CONFUSING. WE SHOULD LOOK INTO CHANGING THE MARKINGS OR CHANGING OUR TECHNIQUE IN THE TWR FOR MORE SPECIFIC HOLD SHORT OR DEP INFO.

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.