Narrative:

With a snowplow on the runway we taxied into position. When the plow reached the far end of the runway it appeared that the plow exited the runway. After repeated attempts at contacting the plow on unicom we proceeded to takeoff, upon reaching approximately 65 KTS. The plow re-entered the runway. (5000 ft runway.) we proceeded to takeoff and side step around. (Not close.) upon contacting ZSE airborne we were advised that the runway was closed. AWOS didn't inform us prior to takeoff and the plow wasn't using a radio! During this time, 1 aircraft landed after approach and 3 others departed. Also, unicom did not advise anyone of the plow. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that, to his knowledge, there was no NOTAM issued for the time that he was departing eat, wa. He had received his pilot briefing from sea FSS which is the designated FSS for eat and they had not mentioned the runway closure. Reporter was asked how the center controller knew of the closure and he guessed that the only way he could have known would have been by a NOTAM being issued. The other traffic arriving and departing had not received NOTAM information either. Reporter was asked if he had felt any schedule pressure and he said no, as this was a ferry flight and there weren't any time considerations driving this departure. He had not contacted the airport manager as this was a saturday. He tried to call the unicom by phone but they didn't answer him. He added, that to his knowledge, he had never heard of AWOS advisories on closed runways and had just added that note to his report. His concern was that unicom, FSS and the vehicle driver all seemed to be out of the loop and he wondered why. He thinks the airport manager should be alerted to this event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT GND. UNAUTH TKOF FROM CLOSED RWY.

Narrative: WITH A SNOWPLOW ON THE RWY WE TAXIED INTO POS. WHEN THE PLOW REACHED THE FAR END OF THE RWY IT APPEARED THAT THE PLOW EXITED THE RWY. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS AT CONTACTING THE PLOW ON UNICOM WE PROCEEDED TO TKOF, UPON REACHING APPROX 65 KTS. THE PLOW RE-ENTERED THE RWY. (5000 FT RWY.) WE PROCEEDED TO TKOF AND SIDE STEP AROUND. (NOT CLOSE.) UPON CONTACTING ZSE AIRBORNE WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE RWY WAS CLOSED. AWOS DIDN'T INFORM US PRIOR TO TKOF AND THE PLOW WASN'T USING A RADIO! DURING THIS TIME, 1 ACFT LANDED AFTER APCH AND 3 OTHERS DEPARTED. ALSO, UNICOM DID NOT ADVISE ANYONE OF THE PLOW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT, TO HIS KNOWLEDGE, THERE WAS NO NOTAM ISSUED FOR THE TIME THAT HE WAS DEPARTING EAT, WA. HE HAD RECEIVED HIS PLT BRIEFING FROM SEA FSS WHICH IS THE DESIGNATED FSS FOR EAT AND THEY HAD NOT MENTIONED THE RWY CLOSURE. RPTR WAS ASKED HOW THE CTR CTLR KNEW OF THE CLOSURE AND HE GUESSED THAT THE ONLY WAY HE COULD HAVE KNOWN WOULD HAVE BEEN BY A NOTAM BEING ISSUED. THE OTHER TFC ARRIVING AND DEPARTING HAD NOT RECEIVED NOTAM INFO EITHER. RPTR WAS ASKED IF HE HAD FELT ANY SCHEDULE PRESSURE AND HE SAID NO, AS THIS WAS A FERRY FLT AND THERE WEREN'T ANY TIME CONSIDERATIONS DRIVING THIS DEP. HE HAD NOT CONTACTED THE ARPT MGR AS THIS WAS A SATURDAY. HE TRIED TO CALL THE UNICOM BY PHONE BUT THEY DIDN'T ANSWER HIM. HE ADDED, THAT TO HIS KNOWLEDGE, HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF AWOS ADVISORIES ON CLOSED RWYS AND HAD JUST ADDED THAT NOTE TO HIS RPT. HIS CONCERN WAS THAT UNICOM, FSS AND THE VEHICLE DRIVER ALL SEEMED TO BE OUT OF THE LOOP AND HE WONDERED WHY. HE THINKS THE ARPT MGR SHOULD BE ALERTED TO THIS EVENT.

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.