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Be-400 flight crew reported taking off from a runway with snow removal equipment and crew nearby.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1713882 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201912 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Beechjet 400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Takeoff |
| Route In Use | None |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Captain |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Sea Flight Crew Rotorcraft Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Glider Flight Crew Flight Instructor |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50 Flight Crew Total 8250 Flight Crew Type 1700 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | First Officer |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 65 Flight Crew Total 3500 Flight Crew Type 960 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Conflict Ground Conflict Critical Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Ground Incursion Runway Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence |
Narrative:
We flew from ZZZ to san antonio today; and after landing at san antonio; we were advised on the phone by ZZZ center that the ZZZ airport authority believed we had improperly taken off using a closed runway.ZZZ airport is non-towered and had a NOTAM published that runway xx/xy was closed except with 15 minutes [of] prior permission on [the] CTAF/unicom. There was snow removal equipment in use on the airfield. We spoke with the FBO personnel and told them we were going to start; taxi; and takeoff. We immediately walked to the plane; parked about 15 yards away; completed our preflight; started engines; and an FBO employee helped direct surface vehicles out of the way so we could taxi. We were monitoring ZZZ center on one radio and CTAF on the other. I heard the first officer transmit on CTAF that we were taxiing for takeoff on runway xx. While taxiing we heard an airliner communicating with ZZZ center regarding their status on the deicing pad and discussing when they would be ready to takeoff. We did not need to deice our plane so we taxied directly to the approach end of runway xx. After completing the taxi checklist; the first officer contacted ZZZ center and notified them that we were holding short of the runway for takeoff and asked for our IFR clearance. The radios and interphone were quite busy with aircraft diverting to alternates; communicating their deicing status; unrelated communications on center frequency from planes not at ZZZ; and with our clearance request. ZZZ center gave us our clearance; confirmed that we were ready for immediate release; and then released us for departure on runway xx. I heard the first officer call on CTAF that we were taking the runway for departure. We then took off without incident. During climbout I heard a plow driver asking the status of the runway; saying he could not see sufficiently to ensure the entire runway was clear.I later learned during my phone call with ZZZ center that a snowplow had been near the runway and did not know we were taking off. We also learned that the snowplow drivers were monitoring aircraft status at the deicing pad to help de-conflict plow operations with departure operations. I do not think they saw us taxi out to the runway [as] our route did not go past the deice pad. I concluded later that the plow drivers either did not hear our transmissions on CTAF that we were taxiing and later that we were taking off; or they heard the calls and did not transmit to us the runway status. Or; they did transmit this information and we did not hear them; I do not know which [one] was the case. I assumed that based on our calls on CTAF and lack of departure denial on that frequency; and based on our clearance for immediate departure on that runway by ZZZ center; that the runway was available for use. I have previously seen notams such as the one in effect this day; and I will likely see them again. I still am not clear who; on the specified frequency; is the authority for runway use at a non-towered field. But I will never again assume that just because I have an approach clearance or a departure release in such a case that the runway is safe to use. This situation could have ended much worse.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BE-400 flight crew reported taking off from a runway with snow removal equipment and crew nearby.
Narrative: We flew from ZZZ to San Antonio today; and after landing at San Antonio; we were advised on the phone by ZZZ Center that the ZZZ Airport Authority believed we had improperly taken off using a closed runway.ZZZ Airport is non-towered and had a NOTAM published that Runway XX/XY was closed except with 15 minutes [of] prior permission on [the] CTAF/UNICOM. There was snow removal equipment in use on the airfield. We spoke with the FBO personnel and told them we were going to start; taxi; and takeoff. We immediately walked to the plane; parked about 15 yards away; completed our preflight; started engines; and an FBO employee helped direct surface vehicles out of the way so we could taxi. We were monitoring ZZZ Center on one radio and CTAF on the other. I heard the First Officer transmit on CTAF that we were taxiing for takeoff on Runway XX. While taxiing we heard an airliner communicating with ZZZ Center regarding their status on the deicing pad and discussing when they would be ready to takeoff. We did not need to deice our plane so we taxied directly to the approach end of Runway XX. After completing the taxi checklist; the First Officer contacted ZZZ Center and notified them that we were holding short of the runway for takeoff and asked for our IFR clearance. The radios and interphone were quite busy with aircraft diverting to alternates; communicating their deicing status; unrelated communications on Center frequency from planes not at ZZZ; and with our clearance request. ZZZ Center gave us our clearance; confirmed that we were ready for immediate release; and then released us for departure on Runway XX. I heard the First Officer call on CTAF that we were taking the runway for departure. We then took off without incident. During climbout I heard a plow driver asking the status of the runway; saying he could not see sufficiently to ensure the entire runway was clear.I later learned during my phone call with ZZZ Center that a snowplow had been near the runway and did not know we were taking off. We also learned that the snowplow drivers were monitoring aircraft status at the deicing pad to help de-conflict plow operations with departure operations. I do not think they saw us taxi out to the runway [as] our route did not go past the deice pad. I concluded later that the plow drivers either did not hear our transmissions on CTAF that we were taxiing and later that we were taking off; or they heard the calls and did not transmit to us the runway status. Or; they did transmit this information and we did not hear them; I do not know which [one] was the case. I assumed that based on our calls on CTAF and lack of departure denial on that frequency; and based on our clearance for immediate departure on that runway by ZZZ Center; that the runway was available for use. I have previously seen NOTAMs such as the one in effect this day; and I will likely see them again. I still am not clear who; on the specified frequency; is the authority for runway use at a non-towered field. But I will never again assume that just because I have an approach clearance or a departure release in such a case that the runway is safe to use. This situation could have ended much worse.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.