Medium large transport flight crew on takeoff roll startled by workmen at edge of runway.

Attributes
ACN	182793
Time
Date	199107
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 28000 flight time type : 2900
ASRS Report	182793
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Taxiout from terminal in very heavy ground traffic. Long, slow line of aircraft working their way out to the takeoff runways. Arrival traffic heavy. Our clearance was for an immediate takeoff as traffic was on a short final. At about 120 KIAS and prior to V-1 I suddenly observed 2 men in the process of standing up from a sitting position at the runway edge. I was startled to see these workers so close. The runway is 150' wide and my aircraft is 94' wide. I believe these people were repairing a runway light. I told the local controller (after gear retraction) of my concerns that I had not been advised of these men/equipment working at the runway edge, and thought he should have advised me. Controller advised he didn't know of their presence either, but would put it on ATIS. Had I blown a tire, lost 'a' hydraulic system, lost the right engine, encountered a strong gust of wind, etc, I could have hit/killed someone. Seems to me the airport operations/maintenance people need to coordinate their activities with ATC and the runway users.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLT CREW ON TKOF ROLL STARTLED BY WORKMEN AT EDGE OF RWY.

Narrative: TAXIOUT FROM TERMINAL IN VERY HVY GND TFC. LONG, SLOW LINE OF ACFT WORKING THEIR WAY OUT TO THE TKOF RWYS. ARR TFC HVY. OUR CLRNC WAS FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF AS TFC WAS ON A SHORT FINAL. AT ABOUT 120 KIAS AND PRIOR TO V-1 I SUDDENLY OBSERVED 2 MEN IN THE PROCESS OF STANDING UP FROM A SITTING POS AT THE RWY EDGE. I WAS STARTLED TO SEE THESE WORKERS SO CLOSE. THE RWY IS 150' WIDE AND MY ACFT IS 94' WIDE. I BELIEVE THESE PEOPLE WERE REPAIRING A RWY LIGHT. I TOLD THE LCL CTLR (AFTER GEAR RETRACTION) OF MY CONCERNS THAT I HAD NOT BEEN ADVISED OF THESE MEN/EQUIP WORKING AT THE RWY EDGE, AND THOUGHT HE SHOULD HAVE ADVISED ME. CTLR ADVISED HE DIDN'T KNOW OF THEIR PRESENCE EITHER, BUT WOULD PUT IT ON ATIS. HAD I BLOWN A TIRE, LOST 'A' HYD SYS, LOST THE RIGHT ENG, ENCOUNTERED A STRONG GUST OF WIND, ETC, I COULD HAVE HIT/KILLED SOMEONE. SEEMS TO ME THE ARPT OPS/MAINT PEOPLE NEED TO COORDINATE THEIR ACTIVITIES WITH ATC AND THE RWY USERS.

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.