Narrative:

I was working ground control 2 (GC2) during the last part of the noon inbound. Mem was in a south confign; landing runways 18L and 18R; departing runway 18C. Air carrier X; a CRJ2; had just landed on runway 18L. I overheard local control 2 (LC2) issue instructions to the CRJ2 to '...turn right; join taxiway south northbound; hold short of runway 18C...' LC2 then cleared air carrier Y; a CL60; for takeoff from runway 18C. Seconds later; I heard LC2 yelling 'air carrier X; stop; stop; stop' (or words to that effect). I looked down the runway and saw a CRJ2 across the hold line of runway 18C at the intersection of taxiway east. The CL60 was airborne approximately 2000 ft prior to this same intersection. The CRJ2 crew was instructed to call the facility. The supervisor informed us that the captain made an error and that it was the copilot who was telling the captain to 'hold short' of runway 18C. Before it registered with the captain that he had made a mistake; the error had already taken place. He was very apologetic; did not try to offer any excuses for what happened; and took full responsibility for the actions of the copilot and himself.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM GND CTLR DESCRIBED PLTDEV WHEN ACFT FAILED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 18C WITH TFC CLRED FOR TKOF ON SAME RWY.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING GND CTL 2 (GC2) DURING THE LAST PART OF THE NOON INBOUND. MEM WAS IN A S CONFIGN; LNDG RWYS 18L AND 18R; DEPARTING RWY 18C. ACR X; A CRJ2; HAD JUST LANDED ON RWY 18L. I OVERHEARD LCL CTL 2 (LC2) ISSUE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CRJ2 TO '...TURN R; JOIN TXWY S NBOUND; HOLD SHORT OF RWY 18C...' LC2 THEN CLRED ACR Y; A CL60; FOR TKOF FROM RWY 18C. SECONDS LATER; I HEARD LC2 YELLING 'ACR X; STOP; STOP; STOP' (OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT). I LOOKED DOWN THE RWY AND SAW A CRJ2 ACROSS THE HOLD LINE OF RWY 18C AT THE INTXN OF TXWY E. THE CL60 WAS AIRBORNE APPROX 2000 FT PRIOR TO THIS SAME INTXN. THE CRJ2 CREW WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL THE FACILITY. THE SUPVR INFORMED US THAT THE CAPT MADE AN ERROR AND THAT IT WAS THE COPLT WHO WAS TELLING THE CAPT TO 'HOLD SHORT' OF RWY 18C. BEFORE IT REGISTERED WITH THE CAPT THAT HE HAD MADE A MISTAKE; THE ERROR HAD ALREADY TAKEN PLACE. HE WAS VERY APOLOGETIC; DID NOT TRY TO OFFER ANY EXCUSES FOR WHAT HAPPENED; AND TOOK FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACTIONS OF THE COPLT AND HIMSELF.

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.