Atx X takeoff on occupied runway had less than standard separation from workman on runway. System er...

Attributes
ACN	311897
Time
Date	199508
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lrd
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	311897
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

After being cleared for takeoff on runway I noticed a ground's crew (airport operations) man on the runway cutting grass with a weed eater. Since the C-208 that I fly takes off in a very short distance and I cleared him by about 50-100 ft a tragedy was averted here. I questioned tower about my takeoff clearance and he confirmed I had been cleared to go. Had a category of aircraft that consumes a large portion of runway for takeoff been in my position the outcome could have been tragic, for both flight crew and ground crew man.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX X TKOF ON OCCUPIED RWY HAD LTSS FROM WORKMAN ON RWY. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: AFTER BEING CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY I NOTICED A GND'S CREW (ARPT OPS) MAN ON THE RWY CUTTING GRASS WITH A WEED EATER. SINCE THE C-208 THAT I FLY TAKES OFF IN A VERY SHORT DISTANCE AND I CLRED HIM BY ABOUT 50-100 FT A TRAGEDY WAS AVERTED HERE. I QUESTIONED TWR ABOUT MY TKOF CLRNC AND HE CONFIRMED I HAD BEEN CLRED TO GO. HAD A CATEGORY OF ACFT THAT CONSUMES A LARGE PORTION OF RWY FOR TKOF BEEN IN MY POS THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC, FOR BOTH FLC AND GND CREW MAN.

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.

Atx X takeoff on occupied runway had less than standard separation from workman on runway. System error.