Narrative:

At lns we have a procedure for runway field checks by the airport authority/authorized. A 'west field check' for runways 26/31 and an 'east field check' for runways 8/13. This particular night we were using runway south 26/13 due to a strong south wind. An airport vehicle called for a field check from the airport authority/authorized located near the approach end of runway 8. My reply, 'airport vehicle driver, ground, west field check, hold short runway 31.' the vehicle responded, 'airport vehicle driver, roger, hold short runway 31.' we both assumed something different...assumed. At this point I should have restated 'west operation' but I did not. Next, a pilot needed progressive taxi instructions out to runway 13. Airport vehicle driver was behind the taxiing small aircraft on the ramp with a dim yellow flasher on his roof. As I taxied the small aircraft, I lost sight of the vehicle, so I started backtracking from the approach end of runway 31 to the ramp he left, searching for him. Next, tower got an light transport commuter inbound 8 southeast for runway 26. The local controller scanned runway 26 to give the commuter light transport his landing clearance and we both were surprised at the same time. In front of us, driving east on runway 8 was airport vehicle driver. We got the vehicle off the runway and there was no loss of separation. On the phone, we discussed what happened so it would not happen again. Airport vehicle driver said he assumed I wanted an 'east field check like last night, so he followed the small aircraft off the ramp, went on runway 8 to hold short of runway 31, then crossed runway 31 to continue with the check. I then told him I assumed he understood a west field check, so I was looking for him from runway 31, back to the ramp. Also, we agreed, all the vehicles flashing lights should be on, 4-WAYS, light bars, and the yellow lights. Also, the commuter light transport had requested the runway edge lights turned up full intensity so he could see it better. The runway lights were brighter than the vehicle's which made it harder to see him.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TWR GND CTLR AND A VEHICLE DRIVER BECAME CONFUSED AS TO THE CLRNC GIVEN REGARDING A 'FIELD CHK.'

Narrative: AT LNS WE HAVE A PROC FOR RWY FIELD CHKS BY THE ARPT AUTH. A 'W FIELD CHK' FOR RWYS 26/31 AND AN 'E FIELD CHK' FOR RWYS 8/13. THIS PARTICULAR NIGHT WE WERE USING RWY S 26/13 DUE TO A STRONG S WIND. AN ARPT VEHICLE CALLED FOR A FIELD CHK FROM THE ARPT AUTH LOCATED NEAR THE APCH END OF RWY 8. MY REPLY, 'ARPT VEHICLE DRIVER, GND, W FIELD CHK, HOLD SHORT RWY 31.' THE VEHICLE RESPONDED, 'ARPT VEHICLE DRIVER, ROGER, HOLD SHORT RWY 31.' WE BOTH ASSUMED SOMETHING DIFFERENT...ASSUMED. AT THIS POINT I SHOULD HAVE RESTATED 'W OP' BUT I DID NOT. NEXT, A PLT NEEDED PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS OUT TO RWY 13. ARPT VEHICLE DRIVER WAS BEHIND THE TAXIING SMA ON THE RAMP WITH A DIM YELLOW FLASHER ON HIS ROOF. AS I TAXIED THE SMA, I LOST SIGHT OF THE VEHICLE, SO I STARTED BACKTRACKING FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 31 TO THE RAMP HE LEFT, SEARCHING FOR HIM. NEXT, TWR GOT AN LTT COMMUTER INBOUND 8 SE FOR RWY 26. THE LCL CTLR SCANNED RWY 26 TO GIVE THE COMMUTER LTT HIS LNDG CLRNC AND WE BOTH WERE SURPRISED AT THE SAME TIME. IN FRONT OF US, DRIVING E ON RWY 8 WAS ARPT VEHICLE DRIVER. WE GOT THE VEHICLE OFF THE RWY AND THERE WAS NO LOSS OF SEPARATION. ON THE PHONE, WE DISCUSSED WHAT HAPPENED SO IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. ARPT VEHICLE DRIVER SAID HE ASSUMED I WANTED AN 'E FIELD CHK LIKE LAST NIGHT, SO HE FOLLOWED THE SMA OFF THE RAMP, WENT ON RWY 8 TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 31, THEN CROSSED RWY 31 TO CONTINUE WITH THE CHK. I THEN TOLD HIM I ASSUMED HE UNDERSTOOD A W FIELD CHK, SO I WAS LOOKING FOR HIM FROM RWY 31, BACK TO THE RAMP. ALSO, WE AGREED, ALL THE VEHICLES FLASHING LIGHTS SHOULD BE ON, 4-WAYS, LIGHT BARS, AND THE YELLOW LIGHTS. ALSO, THE COMMUTER LTT HAD REQUESTED THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS TURNED UP FULL INTENSITY SO HE COULD SEE IT BETTER. THE RWY LIGHTS WERE BRIGHTER THAN THE VEHICLE'S WHICH MADE IT HARDER TO SEE HIM.

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.