E145 crew abort takeoff after spotting a vehicle on the runway.

Attributes
ACN	527902
Time
Date	200110
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dsm.airport
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 16800 flight time type : 1480
ASRS Report	527902
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe ground encounters : vehicle incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : rejected takeoff flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Tower cleared us for takeoff runway 31 at dsm. I scanned final approach for traffic before turning onto active runway 31 (out of my left cockpit window). My first officer scanned down the runway for traffic and spotted something on the runway downfield. We asked tower if runway was clear. Tower canceled our takeoff clearance. A sweeper was on the runway downfield. A min later, the sweeper turned off the runway onto a taxiway. We departed safely this time! This could have been an accident -- easily. Sweeper was not on tower frequency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 CREW ABORT TKOF AFTER SPOTTING A VEHICLE ON THE RWY.

Narrative: TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF RWY 31 AT DSM. I SCANNED FINAL APCH FOR TFC BEFORE TURNING ONTO ACTIVE RWY 31 (OUT OF MY L COCKPIT WINDOW). MY FO SCANNED DOWN THE RWY FOR TFC AND SPOTTED SOMETHING ON THE RWY DOWNFIELD. WE ASKED TWR IF RWY WAS CLR. TWR CANCELED OUR TKOF CLRNC. A SWEEPER WAS ON THE RWY DOWNFIELD. A MIN LATER, THE SWEEPER TURNED OFF THE RWY ONTO A TXWY. WE DEPARTED SAFELY THIS TIME! THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT -- EASILY. SWEEPER WAS NOT ON TWR FREQ.

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.