Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Human Factors
I was working Clearance Delivery and Tower CIC at the time of the event. I had just read a couple of clearances and obtained TMU releases for a couple of aircraft. I turned around to face Local Control just as the Local Controller became aware of a serious situation. I noticed that a P28A was on Runway XX at the Runway X hold short markings and a CRJ-200 was [on] landing roll on the same runway. The Local Controller issued runway exit instructions to the P28A; but the P28A was very slow to move his aircraft. I told the Local Controller to tell the CRJ-200 about the traffic and to hit his breaks hard and exit the runway at Taxiway B. In my estimation; the closest proximity was about 1;000 feet. The Local Controller said that he/she forgot about the P28A and also forgot that he/she had issued him a LASHO clearance. It is worth noting that the Local Control position had a SR20 and a GLF5 in the VFR pattern along with a few arrival and departures; which is typical traffic ZZZ. In the last few years; I have witnessed the proverbial wheels fall off the operation. All of the veteran controllers agree that it is only a matter of time before a tragic event occurs. This one was close! The air traffic operation at this facility is quite different than other similar facilities. We need help. There is a huge need for maturity and knowledge in both the controller workforce and the dysfunctional management team. It seems that most decisions made by our Manager make our operation much worse. The 7210.3 is abundantly clear with regards to combining positions in a Control Tower. It says (paraphrased) that Ground Control shall not be combined with Local Control except during periods of significantly reduced traffic. Every veteran controller that comes here questions why we combine GC with LC instead of Clearance Delivery like almost every other Control Tower in the world. A few years ago it was mandatory that LC should keep a 'pad'. A written list of arrival; departures; and vehicles was required. This requirement was removed from the SOP; my second suggestion is to make a 'pad' mandatory again.
While being vectored for the visual approach to Runway XX in ZZZ; Approach Control stated 'CRJ-200; you're following traffic; a Cherokee (Piper Warrior) on a 5 mile final'. After we were given sufficient spacing to land behind the GA aircraft; Approach Control cleared us for the visual approach and to contact Tower. After contacting Tower; we were cleared to land and advised the GA aircraft had just touched down. We began the visual approach by making our downwind to base turn and after making the turn to final; we checked the runway for the traffic and the runway appeared to be clear. While conducting the visual approach there appeared to be no signs of the traffic on the runway. After touching down and slowing the aircraft down with brakes and thrust reversers; we both heard the Tower yelling over the radio to the GA aircraft to 'exit the runway immediately!' With the radio communications of the GA pilot to follow it appeared that the pilot of the other aircraft was inexperienced and confused as to which taxiway to exit off of which delayed the pilot even longer to exit so Tower then said 'CRJ-200 can you make Taxiway Alpha?' We safely complied with Tower's request and exited the runway at Taxiway A while it appeared the GA aircraft was just exiting the runway a few hundred yards ahead on the runway.  Small GA aircraft can be very difficult to see and it's important to exercise extreme caution when operating in airports with those aircraft. It's also important to note that many GA aircraft are student pilots in training so we must always be ready to make any necessary reactions to avoid runway incursions. We're not sure if the GA aircraft remained on the runway the whole time or if he had taxied back onto the runway; but I think we should always clarify with ATC that other aircraft; especially smaller GA aircraft; are clear of the runways to avoid this situation in the future.
Tower Controller described a serious situation when the Local Controller failed to realize that a light aircraft failed to exit the runway as an air carrier aircraft touched down.