I worked with a gentleman some years ago who had also been an ATC in the USAF. One particularly snowy day he was working in the tower at his (unnamed) air force base. The runway was closed for snow removal… one of those shin-digs with about a zillion plows working all at once. In that the snow was still falling at a heavy rate, he could not see the equipment on the runway. He dutifully placed the appropriate reminder in the strip bay, and then turned his attention to other matters. A short while later, a C5 called for departure. My friend cleared the C5 for takeoff. At the appropriate time he told the aircraft to contact departure, and looked down at the strip to mark it. That’s when he saw the strip reminding him that the runway was closed due to a few hundred tons of metal being engaged in snow removal. He knew that the C5 had at least survived, because the crew had acknowledged the frequency change. However, he DID have more than a little concern for the plow crews on the runway. With the permission of the ground controller, he brought up the ground freq and called the foreman of the crew. “Are you guys OK out there?” The answer… “Yeah. All of us had pulled over to the side to have some coffee. We DID hear something go by though. Are you aware that the runway is closed?”
My friend turned himself in. Decertification ensued, as well as retraining and recert. Still, he always maintained that NOTHING was as painful as that moment when he realized what he had done.
This guy turned out to be one of the most careful, professional controllers I ever worked with (as well as a pleasure to be around). Hearing him relate this story, one always got the impression that he was the same way as an air force controller (in other words, he wasn’t just this professional because of what had happened to him in the AF). It always sticks in my mind and reminds me (among other things) that things like a red strip in the bay is there as a backup, not as a primary means of keeping you out of trouble, and that a lack of eternal vigilance will quickly take out even the best among us.
Thus endeth today's lesson
Dave