Narrative:

Tower cleared light transport Y jet into position on runway 29L. We were instructed to taxi into position on runway 29L behind the light transport Y. Light transport Y was cleared for takeoff on runway 29L and another air carrier flight was cleared to land on runway 29L. Just as light transport Y rotated we were cleared for takeoff. We did as instructed anticipating the tower would turn light transport Y out of our departure path. They did not and I kept at least 1000' vertical sep between our aircraft and the light transport Y. The tower turned light transport Y to a 260 degree heading and shortly thereafter turned us to a 280 degree heading. We were each then instructed to contact departure. In light of this event I think there should be a minimum time set between departing aircraft or a minimum altitude the preceding aircraft has to reach prior to clearing the next aircraft for takeoff. If light transport Y had aborted or had an engine failure things might have become a little tight. In the future I will have a set parameter as to how close behind a preceding aircraft the takeoff roll is begun even if it means having the landing aircraft go around. I also feel if things were so tight for the tower perhaps they should have had us hold short versus taxiing into position behind another aircraft on same runway awaiting takeoff. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter was asked if the interval between her flight and preceding light transport was unusual and the reply was in the affirmative. She stated that she understands the controller's need to move traffic, but in this incident, the controller tried to squeeze her flight out in a space that was not big enough. She stated that the controller did not instruct her to maintain visual sep from the light transport, but that she did as a matter of survival. She remarked that it would have beem much better for the controller to have her flight wait, clear of the runway, while the inbound landed, and then send her on her way.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR CLEARED ACR-MLG FOR TKOF TOO CLOSE BEHIND CPR-LTT.

Narrative: TWR CLRED LTT Y JET INTO POS ON RWY 29L. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI INTO POS ON RWY 29L BEHIND THE LTT Y. LTT Y WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 29L AND ANOTHER ACR FLT WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 29L. JUST AS LTT Y ROTATED WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. WE DID AS INSTRUCTED ANTICIPATING THE TWR WOULD TURN LTT Y OUT OF OUR DEP PATH. THEY DID NOT AND I KEPT AT LEAST 1000' VERT SEP BTWN OUR ACFT AND THE LTT Y. THE TWR TURNED LTT Y TO A 260 DEG HDG AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER TURNED US TO A 280 DEG HDG. WE WERE EACH THEN INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT DEP. IN LIGHT OF THIS EVENT I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A MINIMUM TIME SET BTWN DEPARTING ACFT OR A MINIMUM ALT THE PRECEDING ACFT HAS TO REACH PRIOR TO CLRING THE NEXT ACFT FOR TKOF. IF LTT Y HAD ABORTED OR HAD AN ENG FAILURE THINGS MIGHT HAVE BECOME A LITTLE TIGHT. IN THE FUTURE I WILL HAVE A SET PARAMETER AS TO HOW CLOSE BEHIND A PRECEDING ACFT THE TKOF ROLL IS BEGUN EVEN IF IT MEANS HAVING THE LNDG ACFT GO AROUND. I ALSO FEEL IF THINGS WERE SO TIGHT FOR THE TWR PERHAPS THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD US HOLD SHORT VERSUS TAXIING INTO POS BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT ON SAME RWY AWAITING TKOF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR WAS ASKED IF THE INTERVAL BTWN HER FLT AND PRECEDING LTT WAS UNUSUAL AND THE REPLY WAS IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. SHE STATED THAT SHE UNDERSTANDS THE CTLR'S NEED TO MOVE TFC, BUT IN THIS INCIDENT, THE CTLR TRIED TO SQUEEZE HER FLT OUT IN A SPACE THAT WAS NOT BIG ENOUGH. SHE STATED THAT THE CTLR DID NOT INSTRUCT HER TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEP FROM THE LTT, BUT THAT SHE DID AS A MATTER OF SURVIVAL. SHE REMARKED THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEM MUCH BETTER FOR THE CTLR TO HAVE HER FLT WAIT, CLEAR OF THE RWY, WHILE THE INBND LANDED, AND THEN SEND HER ON HER WAY.

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.