Narrative:

First snowfall day of year. 2 snowplows were operating on runway 28 told to hold short of runway 4 intersection. Snowplows acknowledged transmission. In the meantime, commuter aircraft was cleared for takeoff on runway 4. Observed snowplows cross runway 4 intersection and asked operators their position. They answered they were on the other side of the runway and seemed confused. WX at the time was IFR with visibility 3/4 mi. Snowplows were operated by county personnel who are very familiar with procedures at this airport. It seems there was a problem with effective listening on the part of the plow operators.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 4, THE ACTIVE RWY, ON RWY 28. PLOWS CROSSED WITHOUT CLRNC AS SMT TOOK OFF.

Narrative: FIRST SNOWFALL DAY OF YEAR. 2 SNOWPLOWS WERE OPERATING ON RWY 28 TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 4 INTXN. SNOWPLOWS ACKNOWLEDGED XMISSION. IN THE MEANTIME, COMMUTER ACFT WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 4. OBSERVED SNOWPLOWS CROSS RWY 4 INTXN AND ASKED OPERATORS THEIR POS. THEY ANSWERED THEY WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RWY AND SEEMED CONFUSED. WX AT THE TIME WAS IFR WITH VISIBILITY 3/4 MI. SNOWPLOWS WERE OPERATED BY COUNTY PERSONNEL WHO ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH PROCS AT THIS ARPT. IT SEEMS THERE WAS A PROB WITH EFFECTIVE LISTENING ON THE PART OF THE PLOW OPERATORS.

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.