A FRTR (Y) HAD TO GAR TO AVOID LNDG ON A PAX ACFT (X).

Narrative

ACR Y; DC8 WAS CLRED TO LAND ON 27L ABOUT 12 MI FINAL. ACR X MD-88 WAS CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 27L. NY CTR COMPUTERS WERE DOWN AND WE WERE HAVING PROBS COORDINATING. WHEN I REALIZED IT WASN'T GOING TO WORK; I INSTRUCTED ACR X TO EXIT THE RWY. TO WHICH HE QUESTIONED AT LEAST TWICE; WHICH THEN MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ACR Y TO SAFELY LAND. ACR Y WAS INSTRUCTED TO GAR. ACR X HAD BY THEN TAXIED ONTO A CLOSED PORTION OF A TXWY AND WAS GIVEN FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS TO CLR THE RWY. ACR Y WAS KEPT IN THE TWR PATTERN AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. IT IS MY OPINION THAT HAD ACR X EXITED THE RWY WHEN INSTRUCTED THE FIRST TIME WITHOUT QUESTIONING THE INSTRUCTION; ACR Y COULD HAVE LANDED. BUT WITH THE HESITATION AND 2 OR 3 EXTRA XMISSIONS FROM ACR X; ACR Y WAS SENT AROUND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 267284: PHL TWR CLRED ACR X INTO POS AND HOLD. THE CAPT NOTICED AN ACFT THAT APPEARED TO BE ON FINAL APCH TO OUR RWY. PHL TWR CLRED ACR Y FOR LNDG. THE CAPT TOLD PHL TWR THAT WE WERE IN FACT ON RWY 27L AND THE TWR CAME BACK AND SAID ' ACR X; EXIT THE RWY IMMEDIATELY.' DIRECTLY AHEAD OF US WAS A PAD WITH AN X ON IT. PROCEEDING STRAIGHT AHEAD ONTO IT WOULD BE QUICKER THAN TURNING R AND TAXIING DOWN TO THE NEXT INTXN TO EXIT THE RWY. AT THE SAME TIME; WITHOUT DIRECTION FROM THE TWR; ACR Y INITIATED A GAR. WE ASKED THE TWR TO VERIFY THAT HE HAD CLRED US INTO POS AND HOLD ON 27L AND HE SAID HE HAD AND THAT HE THEN MISTAKENLY HAD CLRED ACR Y TO LAND WHEN HE REALIZED HIS MISTAKE; HE TOLD ACR X TO EXIT THE RWY. HE SEEMED VERY APOLOGETIC FOR THIS MISTAKE.