Narrative:

Air carrier X was taxiing to runway 25R at lax. Approaching taxiway 8-J we requested full length of runway 25R with lax tower. Air carrier X was given clearance to taxi into position and hold on runway 25R. Before entering runway 25R we were then given another clearance by lax tower that consisted of 'air carrier X heavy cleared for takeoff runway 25R, at the shoreline turn left heading 210 degrees and climb and maintain 13000'.' takeoff was commenced. Runway 25R has a slight uphill grade making it impossible to see the opp end of the runway while starting the takeoff roll. All runway lights and centerline lights appeared normal. Upon reaching the top of the grade it was noticed that there were 2 vehs on the runway. Each one on opp sides. The one on the left appeared to be towing a generator or portable light set. At the time of the sighting the aircraft was at or very near V1 it was determined immediately that there would be no conflict and no evasive action would be necessary. The aircraft was rotated normally and takeoff commenced with no further problems. Both vehs appeared to be exiting the runway as quick as possible. Shortly after takeoff the tower was notified of vehs on the runway. After a pause of about 5 seconds lax tower rogered our transmission and told us to contact departure. After leveling at FL330 the captain called lax tower on the aircraft airphone. We were informed by the tower controller that he had given us clearance to takeoff on a closed runway, a runway that he was not aware was closed. This could have been a very serious situation. I believe there was a gross error in lack of communication between the ground, the local controllers, and the vehs on the runway. Supplemental information from acn 179653. Air carrier X heavy left gate en route to ord. Taxi clearance to runway 25R full length. Air carrier X was cleared into position to hold. About the time we were taxiing onto runway, clearance for takeoff and climb to 13000' copilot commenced takeoff. During the takeoff a veh was sighted crossing the runway at the far end. Distance not known. It was evident during the roll that a collision could be avoided west/O evasive action. On passing, the veh appeared to be a truck towing a trailer (maybe a generator). Tower was advised and flight was continued.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X CLEARD FOR TKOF ON CLOSED RWY HAD GND CONFLICT WITH VEHICLE ON RWY. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X WAS TAXIING TO RWY 25R AT LAX. APCHING TXWY 8-J WE REQUESTED FULL LENGTH OF RWY 25R WITH LAX TWR. ACR X WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 25R. BEFORE ENTERING RWY 25R WE WERE THEN GIVEN ANOTHER CLRNC BY LAX TWR THAT CONSISTED OF 'ACR X HVY CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 25R, AT THE SHORELINE TURN L HDG 210 DEGS AND CLB AND MAINTAIN 13000'.' TKOF WAS COMMENCED. RWY 25R HAS A SLIGHT UPHILL GRADE MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE OPP END OF THE RWY WHILE STARTING THE TKOF ROLL. ALL RWY LIGHTS AND CTRLINE LIGHTS APPEARED NORMAL. UPON REACHING THE TOP OF THE GRADE IT WAS NOTICED THAT THERE WERE 2 VEHS ON THE RWY. EACH ONE ON OPP SIDES. THE ONE ON THE L APPEARED TO BE TOWING A GENERATOR OR PORTABLE LIGHT SET. AT THE TIME OF THE SIGHTING THE ACFT WAS AT OR VERY NEAR V1 IT WAS DETERMINED IMMEDIATELY THAT THERE WOULD BE NO CONFLICT AND NO EVASIVE ACTION WOULD BE NECESSARY. THE ACFT WAS ROTATED NORMALLY AND TKOF COMMENCED WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. BOTH VEHS APPEARED TO BE EXITING THE RWY AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF THE TWR WAS NOTIFIED OF VEHS ON THE RWY. AFTER A PAUSE OF ABOUT 5 SECS LAX TWR ROGERED OUR XMISSION AND TOLD US TO CONTACT DEP. AFTER LEVELING AT FL330 THE CAPT CALLED LAX TWR ON THE ACFT AIRPHONE. WE WERE INFORMED BY THE TWR CTLR THAT HE HAD GIVEN US CLRNC TO TKOF ON A CLOSED RWY, A RWY THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE WAS CLOSED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A GROSS ERROR IN LACK OF COM BTWN THE GND, THE LCL CTLRS, AND THE VEHS ON THE RWY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 179653. ACR X HVY LEFT GATE ENRTE TO ORD. TAXI CLRNC TO RWY 25R FULL LENGTH. ACR X WAS CLRED INTO POS TO HOLD. ABOUT THE TIME WE WERE TAXIING ONTO RWY, CLRNC FOR TKOF AND CLB TO 13000' COPLT COMMENCED TKOF. DURING THE TKOF A VEH WAS SIGHTED XING THE RWY AT THE FAR END. DISTANCE NOT KNOWN. IT WAS EVIDENT DURING THE ROLL THAT A COLLISION COULD BE AVOIDED W/O EVASIVE ACTION. ON PASSING, THE VEH APPEARED TO BE A TRUCK TOWING A TRAILER (MAYBE A GENERATOR). TWR WAS ADVISED AND FLT WAS CONTINUED.

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.