Small aircraft student pilot all but forces truck off the runway when taking position for takeoff. U...

Attributes
ACN	362601
Time
Date	199703
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : emt
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 185 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	362601
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 70 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

On mar/sat/97 at approximately XA10, I arrived at el monte airport in preparation for a flight to ont airport to meet my flight instructor. The prevailing conditions were VFR and wind calm. After my preflight inspection, and having announced my intentions on the radio, I started to taxi to the run-up area for runway 1. I observed a truck on the runway with his lights on. As I passed the truck, I attempted, over the CTAF frequency, to contact the vehicle 3 times with no acknowledgement. I then tried the ground frequency 2 times, again with no acknowledgement. I then started my run-up and upon completion, I attempted 2 more times to reach the truck with no answer. The truck was approximately abeam the tower. I next announced that I was holding for a departure off runway 1, and at this time the truck made a l-hand turn off the runway onto the grass area, on the river side. At this point I announced that I was departing runway 1, and began my takeoff. My aircraft left the runway prior to the fuel pit, and at the point that I was opposite the location of the truck, I was approximately 100 ft above the runway and at least 70 ft horizontal from the location of the parked truck. At no time was there even any suggestion of a near miss, and I complied fully with my responsibility as PIC of the aircraft. I followed all normal procedures and would not have commenced the takeoff if the truck was anywhere near the runway. Airport personnel engaged in driving vehicles on the runway outside of tower hours should adhere to proper radio procedures. To wit: monitoring radio calls from aircraft using the airport and responding to same. Supplemental information from acn 362698: the tower at emt was closed at the time and it was alleged by an employee of the airport management that the aircraft nearly struck the employee who was 'sweeping' the runway at the time. This claim is strongly disputed by the student pilot who claimed the truck was well clear of the runway at the time. Incident was reported to lax FSDO and investigation initiated by FAA inspector.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA STUDENT PLT ALL BUT FORCES TRUCK OFF THE RWY WHEN TAKING POS FOR TKOF. UNABLE TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WITH VEHICLE DRIVER.

Narrative: ON MAR/SAT/97 AT APPROX XA10, I ARRIVED AT EL MONTE ARPT IN PREPARATION FOR A FLT TO ONT ARPT TO MEET MY FLT INSTRUCTOR. THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS WERE VFR AND WIND CALM. AFTER MY PREFLT INSPECTION, AND HAVING ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS ON THE RADIO, I STARTED TO TAXI TO THE RUN-UP AREA FOR RWY 1. I OBSERVED A TRUCK ON THE RWY WITH HIS LIGHTS ON. AS I PASSED THE TRUCK, I ATTEMPTED, OVER THE CTAF FREQ, TO CONTACT THE VEHICLE 3 TIMES WITH NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. I THEN TRIED THE GND FREQ 2 TIMES, AGAIN WITH NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. I THEN STARTED MY RUN-UP AND UPON COMPLETION, I ATTEMPTED 2 MORE TIMES TO REACH THE TRUCK WITH NO ANSWER. THE TRUCK WAS APPROX ABEAM THE TWR. I NEXT ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS HOLDING FOR A DEP OFF RWY 1, AND AT THIS TIME THE TRUCK MADE A L-HAND TURN OFF THE RWY ONTO THE GRASS AREA, ON THE RIVER SIDE. AT THIS POINT I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS DEPARTING RWY 1, AND BEGAN MY TKOF. MY ACFT LEFT THE RWY PRIOR TO THE FUEL PIT, AND AT THE POINT THAT I WAS OPPOSITE THE LOCATION OF THE TRUCK, I WAS APPROX 100 FT ABOVE THE RWY AND AT LEAST 70 FT HORIZ FROM THE LOCATION OF THE PARKED TRUCK. AT NO TIME WAS THERE EVEN ANY SUGGESTION OF A NEAR MISS, AND I COMPLIED FULLY WITH MY RESPONSIBILITY AS PIC OF THE ACFT. I FOLLOWED ALL NORMAL PROCS AND WOULD NOT HAVE COMMENCED THE TKOF IF THE TRUCK WAS ANYWHERE NEAR THE RWY. ARPT PERSONNEL ENGAGED IN DRIVING VEHICLES ON THE RWY OUTSIDE OF TWR HRS SHOULD ADHERE TO PROPER RADIO PROCS. TO WIT: MONITORING RADIO CALLS FROM ACFT USING THE ARPT AND RESPONDING TO SAME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 362698: THE TWR AT EMT WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME AND IT WAS ALLEGED BY AN EMPLOYEE OF THE ARPT MGMNT THAT THE ACFT NEARLY STRUCK THE EMPLOYEE WHO WAS 'SWEEPING' THE RWY AT THE TIME. THIS CLAIM IS STRONGLY DISPUTED BY THE STUDENT PLT WHO CLAIMED THE TRUCK WAS WELL CLR OF THE RWY AT THE TIME. INCIDENT WAS RPTED TO LAX FSDO AND INVESTIGATION INITIATED BY FAA INSPECTOR.

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.

Small aircraft student pilot all but forces truck off the runway when taking position for takeoff. Unable to establish radio contact with vehicle driver.