Narrative:

I was working ground control #2 (GC2) during the afternoon air carrier departure push. Mem was primarily departing runways 36L and 36R. Occasional departures off of runway 36C; and primarily landing runway 36C. I observed air carrier on final for runway 36C; with a 'C' in the scratch pad area indicating that the aircraft had been cleared for a visual approach to runway 36C. I observed that air carrier had been written down in the '36C' column of the paper pad at the local control #1 position. I also observed that air carrier had a 'check mark' next to the call sign; further indicating that air carrier had been cleared to land on runway 36C. As air carrier approached the runway; I overheard the local controller #1 clear an aircraft to depart from runway 36C; and the departing aircraft was issued traffic on the air carrier that was 'landing runway 36R.' when I questioned local controller #1 about this; I was informed that air carrier had been cleared to land on runway 36R. This is a very dangerous situation due to the fact that the supervisor and the cabin attendant coordinator often coordinate runway xings with ground control #1 and ground control #2 during busy periods of traffic; and these xings are often based on information that is displayed on the stars display. The local controllers should change the scratch pad information to reflect the runway where the aircraft has been cleared to land.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM GND CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE LCL CTLR'S FAILURE TO ENSURE ACCURATE RWY LNDG DATA WAS PRESENT IN THE DATA BLOCK.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING GND CTL #2 (GC2) DURING THE AFTERNOON ACR DEP PUSH. MEM WAS PRIMARILY DEPARTING RWYS 36L AND 36R. OCCASIONAL DEPS OFF OF RWY 36C; AND PRIMARILY LNDG RWY 36C. I OBSERVED ACR ON FINAL FOR RWY 36C; WITH A 'C' IN THE SCRATCH PAD AREA INDICATING THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 36C. I OBSERVED THAT ACR HAD BEEN WRITTEN DOWN IN THE '36C' COLUMN OF THE PAPER PAD AT THE LCL CTL #1 POS. I ALSO OBSERVED THAT ACR HAD A 'CHK MARK' NEXT TO THE CALL SIGN; FURTHER INDICATING THAT ACR HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 36C. AS ACR APCHED THE RWY; I OVERHEARD THE LCL CTLR #1 CLR AN ACFT TO DEPART FROM RWY 36C; AND THE DEPARTING ACFT WAS ISSUED TFC ON THE ACR THAT WAS 'LNDG RWY 36R.' WHEN I QUESTIONED LCL CTLR #1 ABOUT THIS; I WAS INFORMED THAT ACR HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 36R. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE SUPVR AND THE CAB COORDINATOR OFTEN COORDINATE RWY XINGS WITH GND CTL #1 AND GND CTL #2 DURING BUSY PERIODS OF TFC; AND THESE XINGS ARE OFTEN BASED ON INFO THAT IS DISPLAYED ON THE STARS DISPLAY. THE LCL CTLRS SHOULD CHANGE THE SCRATCH PAD INFO TO REFLECT THE RWY WHERE THE ACFT HAS BEEN CLRED TO LAND.

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.