Narrative:

I was working the ground control position immediately after a sustained snowstorm throughout the area. Snow removal operations were in progress on all movement areas. The city, responsible for snow removal at the airport, had closed the airport for continued snow removal operations. I received information through my immediate supervisor that a waiver had been issued by the city for a lifeguard light transport to land and depart on runway 28 during the aforementioned period. Prior to departure (with the runway still closed) I, along with the local controller, scanned runway 28 for ground vehicles. Not observing any vehicles and assuming that the city had removed their snow equipment specifically for the waivered aircraft, a departure clearance was issued on runway 28. Shortly after the aircraft's rotation, I observed vehicle traffic on the runway. Lessons learned: don't assume other agencies (the city) coordination with their own personnel when it affects aircraft operations and ensure positive control and separation by obtaining a verbal assurance (not just visual) all runways are clear.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR CLRED LTT FOR TKOF ON OCCUPIED RWY. ACFT HAD LTSS FROM VEHICLE ON RWY. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE GND CTL POS IMMEDIATELY AFTER A SUSTAINED SNOWSTORM THROUGHOUT THE AREA. SNOW REMOVAL OPS WERE IN PROGRESS ON ALL MOVEMENT AREAS. THE CITY, RESPONSIBLE FOR SNOW REMOVAL AT THE ARPT, HAD CLOSED THE ARPT FOR CONTINUED SNOW REMOVAL OPS. I RECEIVED INFO THROUGH MY IMMEDIATE SUPVR THAT A WAIVER HAD BEEN ISSUED BY THE CITY FOR A LIFEGUARD LTT TO LAND AND DEPART ON RWY 28 DURING THE AFOREMENTIONED PERIOD. PRIOR TO DEP (WITH THE RWY STILL CLOSED) I, ALONG WITH THE LCL CTLR, SCANNED RWY 28 FOR GND VEHICLES. NOT OBSERVING ANY VEHICLES AND ASSUMING THAT THE CITY HAD REMOVED THEIR SNOW EQUIP SPECIFICALLY FOR THE WAIVERED ACFT, A DEP CLRNC WAS ISSUED ON RWY 28. SHORTLY AFTER THE ACFT'S ROTATION, I OBSERVED VEHICLE TFC ON THE RWY. LESSONS LEARNED: DON'T ASSUME OTHER AGENCIES (THE CITY) COORD WITH THEIR OWN PERSONNEL WHEN IT AFFECTS ACFT OPS AND ENSURE POSITIVE CTL AND SEPARATION BY OBTAINING A VERBAL ASSURANCE (NOT JUST VISUAL) ALL RWYS ARE CLR.

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.