A jfk controller cleared an aircraft for takeoff on a runway occupied by an airport operations vehic...

Attributes
ACN	724571
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sac.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 20 controller supervisory : 2
ASRS Report	724571
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 8 controller non radar : 8 controller time certified in position1 : 8 flight time total : 10
ASRS Report	723791
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe ground encounters : vehicle incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airport Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

In the middle of a very difficult and unnecessary runway change; I; as the ground controller; instructed a port authority/authorized vehicle to enter runway 4L for a runway inspection and to hold short of runway 31L (intersecting runway). I copied down the airport vehicle number on a blank progress strip; but was so busy I did not put the runway ownership strip next to it like I usually do. I had approximately 20-25 aircraft on the frequency at the time and was making a change from 31's a pair to 4's a pair with an overflow from runway 31L at an intersection. The local controller and I coordinated numerous aircraft xings (to get to the departure runway 4L you need to cross runway 31L at a point behind where the overflow intersection is) because we still had numerous aircraft departing from the full length. Due to my workload I forgot about the airport vehicle. When local control asked for ownership of runway 4L; I assumed that the vehicle was clear (it had been about 15 mins) and the vehicle never called or prompted me that he was still on the runway. Local control cleared a B757 for takeoff on runway 4L; but the B757 had the common sense to realize that there was a vehicle only a couple of thousand feet in front of him on the runway and advised the tower. The runway change was made due to constant pressure from the users to have 2 departure runways available. However; the volume of overflow departure traffic was extremely slight and the majority of aircraft taken to runway 4L were actually delayed due to the runway change. The cabin attendant coordinator position was not open due to short staffing (an extra set of ears and eyes). The amount of volume and complexity caused the ground control to not follow his usual routine in order to expedite the taxi times of numerous aircraft. The local controller scanned the runway prior to issuing takeoff instructions; but a combination of sun glare; filthy shades and dirty windows made it very difficult to see such a small vehicle.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A JFK CTLR CLRED AN ACFT FOR TKOF ON A RWY OCCUPIED BY AN ARPT OPS VEHICLE. ACFT CREW SAW VEHICLE PRIOR TO DEPARTING AND HELD.

Narrative: IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY DIFFICULT AND UNNECESSARY RWY CHANGE; I; AS THE GND CTLR; INSTRUCTED A PORT AUTH VEHICLE TO ENTER RWY 4L FOR A RWY INSPECTION AND TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 31L (INTERSECTING RWY). I COPIED DOWN THE ARPT VEHICLE NUMBER ON A BLANK PROGRESS STRIP; BUT WAS SO BUSY I DID NOT PUT THE RWY OWNERSHIP STRIP NEXT TO IT LIKE I USUALLY DO. I HAD APPROX 20-25 ACFT ON THE FREQ AT THE TIME AND WAS MAKING A CHANGE FROM 31'S A PAIR TO 4'S A PAIR WITH AN OVERFLOW FROM RWY 31L AT AN INTXN. THE LCL CTLR AND I COORDINATED NUMEROUS ACFT XINGS (TO GET TO THE DEP RWY 4L YOU NEED TO CROSS RWY 31L AT A POINT BEHIND WHERE THE OVERFLOW INTXN IS) BECAUSE WE STILL HAD NUMEROUS ACFT DEPARTING FROM THE FULL LENGTH. DUE TO MY WORKLOAD I FORGOT ABOUT THE ARPT VEHICLE. WHEN LCL CTL ASKED FOR OWNERSHIP OF RWY 4L; I ASSUMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CLR (IT HAD BEEN ABOUT 15 MINS) AND THE VEHICLE NEVER CALLED OR PROMPTED ME THAT HE WAS STILL ON THE RWY. LCL CTL CLRED A B757 FOR TKOF ON RWY 4L; BUT THE B757 HAD THE COMMON SENSE TO REALIZE THAT THERE WAS A VEHICLE ONLY A COUPLE OF THOUSAND FEET IN FRONT OF HIM ON THE RWY AND ADVISED THE TWR. THE RWY CHANGE WAS MADE DUE TO CONSTANT PRESSURE FROM THE USERS TO HAVE 2 DEP RWYS AVAILABLE. HOWEVER; THE VOLUME OF OVERFLOW DEP TFC WAS EXTREMELY SLIGHT AND THE MAJORITY OF ACFT TAKEN TO RWY 4L WERE ACTUALLY DELAYED DUE TO THE RWY CHANGE. THE CAB COORDINATOR POS WAS NOT OPEN DUE TO SHORT STAFFING (AN EXTRA SET OF EARS AND EYES). THE AMOUNT OF VOLUME AND COMPLEXITY CAUSED THE GND CTL TO NOT FOLLOW HIS USUAL ROUTINE IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE THE TAXI TIMES OF NUMEROUS ACFT. THE LCL CTLR SCANNED THE RWY PRIOR TO ISSUING TKOF INSTRUCTIONS; BUT A COMBINATION OF SUN GLARE; FILTHY SHADES AND DIRTY WINDOWS MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE SUCH A SMALL VEHICLE.

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.

A jfk controller cleared an aircraft for takeoff on a runway occupied by an airport operations vehicle. Aircraft crew saw vehicle prior to departing and held.