Narrative:

We were departing runway 19R and landing runway 25L in the very beginning of a departure and arrival push. I cleared aircraft X off of runway 19R; and then I taxied aircraft Y into position and hold on runway 19R. I specifically remember seeing aircraft X going through taxiway mike then I looked back to see aircraft Y who was still taking the runway and not yet in position and I cleared him for takeoff. As I was scanning runway 19R I heard the controller in charge yell that aircraft X had aborted his take off. I told aircraft X to turn right on taxiway sierra and turn right on taxiway romeo and hold short of runway 25L and told aircraft Y to cancel his takeoff clearance. Aircraft X asked what the instructions were; I repeated them. Aircraft Y asked to clarify that I aborted his takeoff clearance. I said; 'aircraft Y; affirmative; cancel your takeoff clearance.' he read it back. I asked aircraft X for a reason for the aborted takeoff. He responded that it was because of an engine indicator light. I have no idea how much time elapsed before the pilot decided to abort his takeoff and the time it took us to notice that he aborted his takeoff. When I looked at him going past taxiway mike he was going very fast and I was under the impression that he had either already started rotating; or was about to; which is why I cleared the next aircraft for takeoff. I have to wonder why the pilot himself didn't tell me that he aborted his takeoff. The only recommendation I can think of is having pilots that abort their takeoff rolls tell the controller sooner.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MKE Local Controller cleared a second aircraft for takeoff not observing the preceding aircraft on the same runway aborting takeoff.

Narrative: We were departing Runway 19R and landing Runway 25L in the very beginning of a departure and arrival push. I cleared Aircraft X off of Runway 19R; and then I taxied Aircraft Y into position and hold on Runway 19R. I specifically remember seeing Aircraft X going through Taxiway Mike then I looked back to see Aircraft Y who was still taking the runway and not yet in position and I cleared him for takeoff. As I was scanning Runway 19R I heard the CIC yell that Aircraft X had aborted his take off. I told Aircraft X to turn right on Taxiway Sierra and turn right on Taxiway Romeo and hold short of Runway 25L and told Aircraft Y to cancel his takeoff clearance. Aircraft X asked what the instructions were; I repeated them. Aircraft Y asked to clarify that I aborted his takeoff clearance. I said; 'Aircraft Y; affirmative; cancel your takeoff clearance.' He read it back. I asked Aircraft X for a reason for the aborted takeoff. He responded that it was because of an Engine Indicator Light. I have no idea how much time elapsed before the pilot decided to abort his takeoff and the time it took us to notice that he aborted his takeoff. When I looked at him going past Taxiway Mike he was going very fast and I was under the impression that he had either already started rotating; or was about to; which is why I cleared the next aircraft for takeoff. I have to wonder why the pilot himself didn't tell me that he aborted his takeoff. The only recommendation I can think of is having pilots that abort their takeoff rolls tell the controller sooner.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.