Narrative:

Aircraft X had just departed about 5 minutes prior and immediately declared an emergency. The aircraft canceled IFR and requested to hold approximately 5 miles south of the airport between 4000-6000. I coordinated the request with airport emergency vehicles. I also had cleared an airport vehicle onto runway 10L to do an inspection. The approach controller called to coordinate a point-out on an over flight; a VFR aircraft within the block altitude of the emergency aircraft X. I instructed the controller to reroute the VFR away from the emergency and basically the coordination turned into an argument. I let the argument disrupt my focus on local control. Aircraft Y called ready for take off as they were taxiing on a. I did a runway scan and did not see the airport vehicle. The vehicle had cleared the runway; completing the runway inspection; but had not advised me of clearing yet. I cleared aircraft Y for take off on runway xx as they were taxiing and as I did that I scanned again and noticed my runway occupied light on the panel was illuminated. I instructed aircraft Y to hold short of runway xx and received a good read back. Aircraft Y was still 200 feet from the hold short line on the taxiway. The airport vehicle then called clear of the runway and I cleared aircraft Y for take off. In the future I will instruct one of the other controllers in the tower to coordinate while I have an abnormal situation (runway closure and emergency) so I can concentrate on the local position. I think the coordination issue with the approach controller caused me to be distracted for that brief moment. I believe I have good scanning techniques on local and in the end my scan is what allowed me to recognize the situation and stop it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Tower Controller issued a take off clearance to an Air Carrier prior to an Airport vehicle reporting clear of the runway; the situation involving an unfolding emergency event and a distracting coordination effort with the TRACON.

Narrative: Aircraft X had just departed about 5 minutes prior and immediately declared an emergency. The aircraft canceled IFR and requested to hold approximately 5 miles south of the airport between 4000-6000. I coordinated the request with Airport Emergency vehicles. I also had cleared an airport vehicle onto RWY 10L to do an inspection. The Approach Controller called to coordinate a point-out on an over flight; a VFR aircraft within the block altitude of the emergency Aircraft X. I instructed the controller to reroute the VFR away from the emergency and basically the coordination turned into an argument. I let the argument disrupt my focus on Local Control. Aircraft Y called ready for take off as they were taxiing on A. I did a runway scan and did not see the airport vehicle. The vehicle had cleared the runway; completing the runway inspection; but had not advised me of clearing yet. I cleared Aircraft Y for take off on Runway XX as they were taxiing and as I did that I scanned again and noticed my Runway Occupied light on the panel was illuminated. I instructed Aircraft Y to hold short of Runway XX and received a good read back. Aircraft Y was still 200 feet from the hold short line on the taxiway. The airport vehicle then called clear of the runway and I cleared Aircraft Y for take off. In the future I will instruct one of the other controllers in the tower to coordinate while I have an abnormal situation (runway closure and emergency) so I can concentrate on the Local position. I think the coordination issue with the Approach Controller caused me to be distracted for that brief moment. I believe I have good scanning techniques on Local and in the end my scan is what allowed me to recognize the situation and stop it.

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.