Narrative:

It was snowing in far when we arrived (it stopped snowing during the turn) and snow removal equipment was being used to clear the airport surfaces of snow. After pushback and de-icing; we were instructed to taxi to runway 36 for takeoff. As we taxied sbound on taxiway a; we saw a snow plow illuminated in the distance at the intersection of taxiway a and taxiway A4; facing our direction (we were still north of A3). We realized that the snow plow was driving towards us and I stopped the aircraft; assuming he was trying to hustle to taxiway A3 to get out of our way. We watched as he continued past A3 towards us; staying on the west side of the taxiway. When the plow was approximately 200 meters away; I began flashing the ground flood lights to get his attention. As the driver reached approximately 50-100 ft from the aircraft; he initiated an avoidance maneuver; the snow plow began to fishtail; and the vehicle was forced from the taxiway into the ditch (taking out a taxiway light). I estimate the snow plow was 20-30 ft from our right wing when it was forced into the ditch. After he was clear of our aircraft; the driver commented to ATC on ground frequency that he didn't see us and wasn't aware that we were taxiing out for takeoff. My safety concern is primarily in reaction to the driver's radio call to ATC. I would guess that the driver was concentrating on the taxiway and wasn't looking too far forward. Certainly; ATC is supposed to notify snow removal equipment operators when aircraft are operating on airport surfaces. It is my suspicion that ATC may not have told the snow plow operator that we were taxiing for takeoff. As you can imagine; had the snow plow impacted our right wing; there certainly could have been a fuel tank rupture and possible evacuate/evacuation. Communication procedures and operational procedures between fargo ATC and snow removal equipment operators should be reviewed. There should be no question in anyone's mind where aircraft are operating on the airport surface when snow removal operations are in effect. Additionally; the operators of snow removal equipment should be trained on the importance of looking for aircraft on the airport surface even when they don't expect aircraft to be operating.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD83 FLT CREW REPORTED CLOSE CALL WITH SNOW REMOVAL VEHICLE AT FAR AND QUESTIONED ATC'S ROLE REGARDING OPERATOR ADVISORY.

Narrative: IT WAS SNOWING IN FAR WHEN WE ARRIVED (IT STOPPED SNOWING DURING THE TURN) AND SNOW REMOVAL EQUIP WAS BEING USED TO CLR THE ARPT SURFACES OF SNOW. AFTER PUSHBACK AND DE-ICING; WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO RWY 36 FOR TKOF. AS WE TAXIED SBOUND ON TXWY A; WE SAW A SNOW PLOW ILLUMINATED IN THE DISTANCE AT THE INTXN OF TXWY A AND TXWY A4; FACING OUR DIRECTION (WE WERE STILL N OF A3). WE REALIZED THAT THE SNOW PLOW WAS DRIVING TOWARDS US AND I STOPPED THE ACFT; ASSUMING HE WAS TRYING TO HUSTLE TO TXWY A3 TO GET OUT OF OUR WAY. WE WATCHED AS HE CONTINUED PAST A3 TOWARDS US; STAYING ON THE W SIDE OF THE TXWY. WHEN THE PLOW WAS APPROX 200 METERS AWAY; I BEGAN FLASHING THE GND FLOOD LIGHTS TO GET HIS ATTN. AS THE DRIVER REACHED APPROX 50-100 FT FROM THE ACFT; HE INITIATED AN AVOIDANCE MANEUVER; THE SNOW PLOW BEGAN TO FISHTAIL; AND THE VEHICLE WAS FORCED FROM THE TXWY INTO THE DITCH (TAKING OUT A TXWY LIGHT). I ESTIMATE THE SNOW PLOW WAS 20-30 FT FROM OUR R WING WHEN IT WAS FORCED INTO THE DITCH. AFTER HE WAS CLR OF OUR ACFT; THE DRIVER COMMENTED TO ATC ON GND FREQ THAT HE DIDN'T SEE US AND WASN'T AWARE THAT WE WERE TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF. MY SAFETY CONCERN IS PRIMARILY IN REACTION TO THE DRIVER'S RADIO CALL TO ATC. I WOULD GUESS THAT THE DRIVER WAS CONCENTRATING ON THE TXWY AND WASN'T LOOKING TOO FAR FORWARD. CERTAINLY; ATC IS SUPPOSED TO NOTIFY SNOW REMOVAL EQUIP OPERATORS WHEN ACFT ARE OPERATING ON ARPT SURFACES. IT IS MY SUSPICION THAT ATC MAY NOT HAVE TOLD THE SNOW PLOW OPERATOR THAT WE WERE TAXIING FOR TKOF. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE; HAD THE SNOW PLOW IMPACTED OUR R WING; THERE CERTAINLY COULD HAVE BEEN A FUEL TANK RUPTURE AND POSSIBLE EVAC. COM PROCS AND OPERATIONAL PROCS BTWN FARGO ATC AND SNOW REMOVAL EQUIP OPERATORS SHOULD BE REVIEWED. THERE SHOULD BE NO QUESTION IN ANYONE'S MIND WHERE ACFT ARE OPERATING ON THE ARPT SURFACE WHEN SNOW REMOVAL OPS ARE IN EFFECT. ADDITIONALLY; THE OPERATORS OF SNOW REMOVAL EQUIP SHOULD BE TRAINED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF LOOKING FOR ACFT ON THE ARPT SURFACE EVEN WHEN THEY DON'T EXPECT ACFT TO BE OPERATING.

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.