Narrative:

We executed the ILS runway 28 approach to syr and broke out just above minimums. I; the PNF; called 'approach lights; continue' at approximately 100 ft above decision ht. Shortly thereafter; the captain acquired visual contact with the runway threshold and called 'landing.' the RVR was reported at 2000 ft. After the decision to land was made; I noticed a vehicle operating on the right side of the runway in the touchdown zone and stated to the captain what I saw. After descending slightly more; I stated this again and the captain agreed that the vehicle was indeed on the runway. The edges of runway 28 were obscured with a white; thin layer of snow; while the center of the runway had just been cleared. Therefore; it was initially difficult to see where exactly the truck was operating. However; after further observation; we both agreed that the vehicle; a yellow snow removal truck; was definitely on the runway. At that point; the captain made the decision to execute a missed approach. I notified the tower when time permitted and the controller sounded surprised; leading me to believe that he could not see us execute the missed approach. We started to execute the published procedure; then got vectored around for another ILS runway 28 approach; which ended with a successful landing. After landing; the tower controller asked us if we went missed due to localizer or GS problems; and we told him that there was a vehicle on the runway. He stated that that could not be because there were no vehicles on the runway at the time. I told him that we both saw; without a doubt; a snow truck operating on the runway. He stated they were plowing taxiway M. That is approximately where we saw the truck and the captain and I agreed that the truck had transgressed onto the runway from taxiway M. Also; I do not believe the tower could see runway 28 because he stated to the aircraft that landed before we went missed to report clear of the runway. Then as we were taxiing to the gate the tower told us he would speak with the manager of the snow removal operations to find out what happened. We did not hear back from anyone.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65-200 CREW ON AN SYR ILS EXECUTED A MISSED APCH AT MINIMUMS IN SNOW WHEN SNOW REMOVAL EQUIP WAS SEEN ON THE RWY.

Narrative: WE EXECUTED THE ILS RWY 28 APCH TO SYR AND BROKE OUT JUST ABOVE MINIMUMS. I; THE PNF; CALLED 'APCH LIGHTS; CONTINUE' AT APPROX 100 FT ABOVE DECISION HT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; THE CAPT ACQUIRED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY THRESHOLD AND CALLED 'LNDG.' THE RVR WAS RPTED AT 2000 FT. AFTER THE DECISION TO LAND WAS MADE; I NOTICED A VEHICLE OPERATING ON THE R SIDE OF THE RWY IN THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE AND STATED TO THE CAPT WHAT I SAW. AFTER DSNDING SLIGHTLY MORE; I STATED THIS AGAIN AND THE CAPT AGREED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INDEED ON THE RWY. THE EDGES OF RWY 28 WERE OBSCURED WITH A WHITE; THIN LAYER OF SNOW; WHILE THE CTR OF THE RWY HAD JUST BEEN CLRED. THEREFORE; IT WAS INITIALLY DIFFICULT TO SEE WHERE EXACTLY THE TRUCK WAS OPERATING. HOWEVER; AFTER FURTHER OBSERVATION; WE BOTH AGREED THAT THE VEHICLE; A YELLOW SNOW REMOVAL TRUCK; WAS DEFINITELY ON THE RWY. AT THAT POINT; THE CAPT MADE THE DECISION TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH. I NOTIFIED THE TWR WHEN TIME PERMITTED AND THE CTLR SOUNDED SURPRISED; LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THAT HE COULD NOT SEE US EXECUTE THE MISSED APCH. WE STARTED TO EXECUTE THE PUBLISHED PROC; THEN GOT VECTORED AROUND FOR ANOTHER ILS RWY 28 APCH; WHICH ENDED WITH A SUCCESSFUL LNDG. AFTER LNDG; THE TWR CTLR ASKED US IF WE WENT MISSED DUE TO LOC OR GS PROBS; AND WE TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS A VEHICLE ON THE RWY. HE STATED THAT THAT COULD NOT BE BECAUSE THERE WERE NO VEHICLES ON THE RWY AT THE TIME. I TOLD HIM THAT WE BOTH SAW; WITHOUT A DOUBT; A SNOW TRUCK OPERATING ON THE RWY. HE STATED THEY WERE PLOWING TXWY M. THAT IS APPROX WHERE WE SAW THE TRUCK AND THE CAPT AND I AGREED THAT THE TRUCK HAD TRANSGRESSED ONTO THE RWY FROM TXWY M. ALSO; I DO NOT BELIEVE THE TWR COULD SEE RWY 28 BECAUSE HE STATED TO THE ACFT THAT LANDED BEFORE WE WENT MISSED TO RPT CLR OF THE RWY. THEN AS WE WERE TAXIING TO THE GATE THE TWR TOLD US HE WOULD SPEAK WITH THE MGR OF THE SNOW REMOVAL OPS TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED. WE DID NOT HEAR BACK FROM ANYONE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.