During training activity, an aircraft landed on a turf runway which was occupied by a mower.

Attributes
ACN	315732
Time
Date	199509
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : x61
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 850 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	315732
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on a training flight into bob white field (X61), we called unicom on 122.8 to receive active runway information. There was no answer from unicom. We proceeded to identify the runway in use and entered the traffic pattern on a 45 degree entry for the east runway 09. While on downwind we noticed a mower on the opposite end of the field. The field is 3300 ft long. We called our downwind and final. There was no reply on the radio. We continued our approach to the runway. We expected the mower to move to the side as we got closer. As we got closer we noticed he was not going to move from the field, but kept on going towards the center of the runway, towards us. We side stepped to the right side of the runway and touched down on the first 1/4 of the runway. Applied full power and departed the field. The mower was approximately 25 ft into the runway. The C152 has a 33 ft 4 inch wing span, the runway is 150 ft wide. There was no doubt in our minds that we would be clear of him. It seems kind of dangerous to conduct mowing operations without a radio, or if he had a radio, he should answer it, or at least advise traffic inbound of the mower and his intentions. This way airplanes coming in to land can take their training some place else.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING TRAINING ACTIVITY, AN ACFT LANDED ON A TURF RWY WHICH WAS OCCUPIED BY A MOWER.

Narrative: WHILE ON A TRAINING FLT INTO BOB WHITE FIELD (X61), WE CALLED UNICOM ON 122.8 TO RECEIVE ACTIVE RWY INFO. THERE WAS NO ANSWER FROM UNICOM. WE PROCEEDED TO IDENT THE RWY IN USE AND ENTERED THE TFC PATTERN ON A 45 DEG ENTRY FOR THE E RWY 09. WHILE ON DOWNWIND WE NOTICED A MOWER ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE FIELD. THE FIELD IS 3300 FT LONG. WE CALLED OUR DOWNWIND AND FINAL. THERE WAS NO REPLY ON THE RADIO. WE CONTINUED OUR APCH TO THE RWY. WE EXPECTED THE MOWER TO MOVE TO THE SIDE AS WE GOT CLOSER. AS WE GOT CLOSER WE NOTICED HE WAS NOT GOING TO MOVE FROM THE FIELD, BUT KEPT ON GOING TOWARDS THE CTR OF THE RWY, TOWARDS US. WE SIDE STEPPED TO THE R SIDE OF THE RWY AND TOUCHED DOWN ON THE FIRST 1/4 OF THE RWY. APPLIED FULL PWR AND DEPARTED THE FIELD. THE MOWER WAS APPROX 25 FT INTO THE RWY. THE C152 HAS A 33 FT 4 INCH WING SPAN, THE RWY IS 150 FT WIDE. THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN OUR MINDS THAT WE WOULD BE CLR OF HIM. IT SEEMS KIND OF DANGEROUS TO CONDUCT MOWING OPS WITHOUT A RADIO, OR IF HE HAD A RADIO, HE SHOULD ANSWER IT, OR AT LEAST ADVISE TFC INBOUND OF THE MOWER AND HIS INTENTIONS. THIS WAY AIRPLANES COMING IN TO LAND CAN TAKE THEIR TRAINING SOME PLACE ELSE.

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.