Narrative:

We received taxi clearance and left the maintenance ramp at its west boundary and proceeded south toward the new scenic to runway 9L. We stopped short of the runway and told the tower controller we were ready for takeoff. I don't recall whether we were cleared for takeoff immediately or if there was a short delay in position. We were subsequently cleared for takeoff. Early in the takeoff run, I noticed that something might be partially restricting my view of some of the runway and taxiway lights some distance down the runway, however I could not yet see an obstruction. Initially I thought it might be an illusion caused by the spacing of the lights. While still setting takeoff power, we accelerated through approximately 30-50 KTS and I continued to try to evaluate the peculiar appearance of the runway lights. At this time, the copilot told me he saw a truck on the runway. At that time, the aircraft landing lights were beginning to shine on the truck and make it visible ot us. I believe that we could swerve around the truck west/O leaving the runway, but since it also appeared that we had more than adequate distance to get stopped before reaching the truck, I elected to abort the takeoff. With reverse pitch and average braking, we easily stopped short of the truck and to the north of it. It was completely unlit and it did not appear that anyone was in the cabin attendant. I did not get a good look at how far it had gotten onto the runway, but I would estimate it to be 15-25'. I had been crossing from south to north. I do not know which intersection it was at, except that it left more than enough distance for us to taxi past the truck and be recleared for takeoff. The controller indicated he was going to write up a report on the incident and asked if we wished to add anything. We indicated that we had nothing to add. No damage occurred and the braking effort was no more than that used after a normal landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF SMT ABORTED TKOF ON RWY 9 AT ORD, AT NIGHT, WHEN ABANDONED TRUCK WAS OBSERVED PARTIALLY BLOCKING THE RWY.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC AND LEFT THE MAINT RAMP AT ITS WEST BOUNDARY AND PROCEEDED SOUTH TOWARD THE NEW SCENIC TO RWY 9L. WE STOPPED SHORT OF THE RWY AND TOLD THE TWR CTLR WE WERE READY FOR TKOF. I DON'T RECALL WHETHER WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF IMMEDIATELY OR IF THERE WAS A SHORT DELAY IN POSITION. WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED FOR TKOF. EARLY IN THE TKOF RUN, I NOTICED THAT SOMETHING MIGHT BE PARTIALLY RESTRICTING MY VIEW OF SOME OF THE RWY AND TXWY LIGHTS SOME DISTANCE DOWN THE RWY, HOWEVER I COULD NOT YET SEE AN OBSTRUCTION. INITIALLY I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE AN ILLUSION CAUSED BY THE SPACING OF THE LIGHTS. WHILE STILL SETTING TKOF PWR, WE ACCELERATED THROUGH APPROX 30-50 KTS AND I CONTINUED TO TRY TO EVALUATE THE PECULIAR APPEARANCE OF THE RWY LIGHTS. AT THIS TIME, THE COPLT TOLD ME HE SAW A TRUCK ON THE RWY. AT THAT TIME, THE ACFT LNDG LIGHTS WERE BEGINNING TO SHINE ON THE TRUCK AND MAKE IT VISIBLE OT US. I BELIEVE THAT WE COULD SWERVE AROUND THE TRUCK W/O LEAVING THE RWY, BUT SINCE IT ALSO APPEARED THAT WE HAD MORE THAN ADEQUATE DISTANCE TO GET STOPPED BEFORE REACHING THE TRUCK, I ELECTED TO ABORT THE TKOF. WITH REVERSE PITCH AND AVERAGE BRAKING, WE EASILY STOPPED SHORT OF THE TRUCK AND TO THE N OF IT. IT WAS COMPLETELY UNLIT AND IT DID NOT APPEAR THAT ANYONE WAS IN THE CAB. I DID NOT GET A GOOD LOOK AT HOW FAR IT HAD GOTTEN ONTO THE RWY, BUT I WOULD ESTIMATE IT TO BE 15-25'. I HAD BEEN XING FROM S TO N. I DO NOT KNOW WHICH INTXN IT WAS AT, EXCEPT THAT IT LEFT MORE THAN ENOUGH DISTANCE FOR US TO TAXI PAST THE TRUCK AND BE RECLEARED FOR TKOF. THE CTLR INDICATED HE WAS GOING TO WRITE UP A REPORT ON THE INCIDENT AND ASKED IF WE WISHED TO ADD ANYTHING. WE INDICATED THAT WE HAD NOTHING TO ADD. NO DAMAGE OCCURRED AND THE BRAKING EFFORT WAS NO MORE THAN THAT USED AFTER A NORMAL LNDG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.