Narrative:

While working I observed an aircraft take off taxiway M overflying an aircraft parked on same taxiway awaiting a gate. Aircraft was issued a takeoff clearance from LC1 for runway 36L. The aircraft turned onto taxiway M an inner parallel taxiway and took off over the parked aircraft. The local controller observed this and twice stated to the pilot 'you're on a taxiway' at the time the local controller observed the takeoff on taxiway M it was too late to cancel his takeoff clearance. This situation has happened at least three times on taxiway M that I'm aware of and numerous times on taxiway south when pilots mistake taxiway south for runway 18C. What is most disturbing to me is that a recommendation to mitigate these situations was suggested over 3 yrs ago by a fellow controller to the memphis shelby county airport authority. Although they adopted new signage for taxiway south; they took no action on taxiway M. The new signage on taxiway south seems to have reduced these occurrences however they still do happen. Furthermore; memphis is equipped with amass and asde; why is it that these systems cannot be modified or tweaked so to speak to alert the controller when a certain speed threshold is met; ie 30 or 40 KTS on a taxiway and the alarm goes off to alert the controller of a possible takeoff on a taxiway. In addition; I mentioned that there was an aircraft parked on taxiway M; this is a common situation here due to ramp control problems and gate availability. I have witnessed aircraft being sent around on landing because ramp control blocks the taxiway at M6 or causes backups for aircraft exiting and parking.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER BEING CLRED TO DEPART RWY 36L; MEM CTLR RPTS ACFT X TKOF ON TXWY M AT MEM AND OVERFLY AN AIRCRAFT ON THE SAME TXWY.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING I OBSERVED AN ACFT TAKE OFF TXWY M OVERFLYING AN ACFT PARKED ON SAME TXWY AWAITING A GATE. ACFT WAS ISSUED A TAKEOFF CLRNC FROM LC1 FOR RWY 36L. THE ACFT TURNED ONTO TXWY M AN INNER PARALLEL TXWY AND TOOK OFF OVER THE PARKED ACFT. THE LOCAL CTLR OBSERVED THIS AND TWICE STATED TO THE PLT 'YOU'RE ON A TAXIWAY' AT THE TIME THE LCL CTLR OBSERVED THE TAKEOFF ON TXWY M IT WAS TOO LATE TO CANCEL HIS TAKEOFF CLRNC. THIS SITUATION HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST THREE TIMES ON TXWY M THAT I'M AWARE OF AND NUMEROUS TIMES ON TXWY S WHEN PLTS MISTAKE TXWY S FOR RWY 18C. WHAT IS MOST DISTURBING TO ME IS THAT A RECOMMENDATION TO MITIGATE THESE SITUATIONS WAS SUGGESTED OVER 3 YRS AGO BY A FELLOW CTLR TO THE MEMPHIS SHELBY COUNTY ARPT AUTHORITY. ALTHOUGH THEY ADOPTED NEW SIGNAGE FOR TXWY S; THEY TOOK NO ACTION ON TXWY M. THE NEW SIGNAGE ON TXWY S SEEMS TO HAVE REDUCED THESE OCCURRENCES HOWEVER THEY STILL DO HAPPEN. FURTHERMORE; MEMPHIS IS EQUIPPED WITH AMASS AND ASDE; WHY IS IT THAT THESE SYSTEMS CANNOT BE MODIFIED OR TWEAKED SO TO SPEAK TO ALERT THE CTLR WHEN A CERTAIN SPEED THRESHOLD IS MET; IE 30 OR 40 KTS ON A TXWY AND THE ALARM GOES OFF TO ALERT THE CTLR OF A POSSIBLE TAKEOFF ON A TXWY. IN ADDITION; I MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT PARKED ON TXWY M; THIS IS A COMMON SITUATION HERE DUE TO RAMP CONTROL PROBLEMS AND GATE AVAILABILITY. I HAVE WITNESSED ACFT BEING SENT AROUND ON LNDG BECAUSE RAMP CONTROL BLOCKS THE TXWY AT M6 OR CAUSES BACKUPS FOR ACFT EXITING AND PARKING.

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.