Narrative:

I was giving otj training to a developmental on the local control position. When we assumed the position we were told in the briefing and acknowledged that a survey crew and veh were operating on runway 21. Traffic was light, in the 10 min time period prior to the incident there was one arrival on runway 15. I started to look something up in the ATC handbook to answer a question that had come up earlier. While I was doing this I heard the developmental issue an IFR clearance and taxi instructions to an small aircraft. Because I was reading something, I didn't realize the small aircraft was going to runway 21, nor was I watching the situation develop. A few minutes later, the developmental issued a takeoff clearance to the small aircraft. I was alerted to the situation when the small aircraft questioned why there was a truck on the runway. The small aircraft passed approximately 200' above the survey crew who were 5000' from the approach end. I was lulled into a sense of complacency because the developmental had 5 months experience on local control and traffic was light--no excuse as I am responsible for the position. Since this incident, the tower manager and airport manager have agreed to close a runway when men or equipment will be working on or along side the runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR CLEARED SMA FOR TKOF WITH MEN AND EQUIPMENT ON THE RWY, INSTRUCTOR CTLR NOT MONITORING TRAINEE.

Narrative: I WAS GIVING OTJ TRNING TO A DEVELOPMENTAL ON THE LCL CTL POS. WHEN WE ASSUMED THE POS WE WERE TOLD IN THE BRIEFING AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT A SURVEY CREW AND VEH WERE OPERATING ON RWY 21. TFC WAS LIGHT, IN THE 10 MIN TIME PERIOD PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THERE WAS ONE ARR ON RWY 15. I STARTED TO LOOK SOMETHING UP IN THE ATC HANDBOOK TO ANSWER A QUESTION THAT HAD COME UP EARLIER. WHILE I WAS DOING THIS I HEARD THE DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUE AN IFR CLRNC AND TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO AN SMA. BECAUSE I WAS READING SOMETHING, I DIDN'T REALIZE THE SMA WAS GOING TO RWY 21, NOR WAS I WATCHING THE SITUATION DEVELOP. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUED A TKOF CLRNC TO THE SMA. I WAS ALERTED TO THE SITUATION WHEN THE SMA QUESTIONED WHY THERE WAS A TRUCK ON THE RWY. THE SMA PASSED APPROX 200' ABOVE THE SURVEY CREW WHO WERE 5000' FROM THE APCH END. I WAS LULLED INTO A SENSE OF COMPLACENCY BECAUSE THE DEVELOPMENTAL HAD 5 MONTHS EXPERIENCE ON LCL CTL AND TFC WAS LIGHT--NO EXCUSE AS I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POS. SINCE THIS INCIDENT, THE TWR MGR AND ARPT MGR HAVE AGREED TO CLOSE A RWY WHEN MEN OR EQUIPMENT WILL BE WORKING ON OR ALONG SIDE THE RWY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.