Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 15
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Runway
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance
Human Factors; Procedure
Aircraft Y was cleared to land Runway 16R and was short final. Once Aircraft Y was on landing roll I instructed the pilot to exit the runway and contact Ground point seven. I then instructed Aircraft Z to line up and wait on Runway 16R. Aircraft Z advised me that there is an aircraft already in position on the runway. At that point Aircraft X advised me that he was lined up on Runway 16R. It was at this point that I realized that Aircraft X may have been in position on Runway 16R while Aircraft Y was landing. I told the CIC (Controller in Charge) that a runway incursion just happened and the Jet may have landed over that aircraft. I instructed Aircraft X to turn left and exit the runway. Once Aircraft X was clear of the runway; I cleared Aircraft Z for take-off on Runway 16R. We need a new Tower. It is very difficult to see small aircraft on the runway at the full length.
VNY is in a single runway operation. I was the CIC monitoring the operation. Local 1 was working the aircrafts in question. Aircraft X was at Runway 16R requesting a VFR departure clearance. The Local told him to standby and continued to work. SCT had cleared an aircraft for a visual approach from the east downwind over top our traffic in the east pattern and switched him instead of sequencing him with the VFR/IFR arrivals that were already on final. This would have forced the Local Controller to break off all his slow moving VFR props for an IFR jet. I then called the Final Control and said we cannot accept that aircraft. He said he did not have him on frequency and hadn't spoken to him. It came from the other sector. The Local Control told the aircraft to climb to 5000 ft. and had them overfly the final and airport. He then gave them back to SCT. Meanwhile; someone else at SCT began to call on the line asking why we couldn't accept the aircraft. I picked up the line and so did the Local Control. The Local Controller began to explain and then continued to work. I began to discuss the situation with the FACREP (Facility Representative) who was in the tower and answering phone calls. During this time Aircraft X called up again and said; 'Aircraft X; line up and wait runway;' as the tail end of his transmission was clipped by another aircraft. The Local Controller once again told him to stand by. By this time Aircraft Y was short final; landed and rolling out. The Local Controller told another aircraft to line up and wait. The pilot of that aircraft said Aircraft X was already in position on the runway and that Aircraft Y had overflown him. No one in the tower saw Aircraft X on the runway. No clearance had ever been given to Aircraft X. For his size; color; and distance from the tower to the runway approach end he blended in with the tree line behind him at the edge of the airport. Aircraft Y never saw them as well. The issue with SCT was a distraction which contributed to me not catching the aircraft on the runway.SCT is to be required to sequence visual approaches with existing VFR traffic already established on final. Additionally; SCT already hands off data information to VNY Tower using the STARs. For visual approaches; if the Tower does not accept the handoff SCT shall take the aircraft for the full approach and not try to slam them into the airport. Just because it is an IFR jet does not mean they get priority over VFR props. Also; it unacceptable to clear aircraft for a visual approach jet and switch them to the Tower descending and turning toward VFR traffic established on final and expect the all the VFR traffic is to be broken off to make way for their jet. This is an issue that continues to happen even though the Tower has told them it is not ok. SCT continues to expect a reason as to why we cannot accept the visual approach instead of looking at the radar and seeing why. The traffic on final is visible on their radar scope. If the Tower says they cannot accept it; which is the end of the discussion.
VNY Tower Controller reported a runway incursion due to communication breakdown with TRACON and other traffic.