Narrative:

We were given an immediate takeoff due to traffic on a 4 mi final; on takeoff roll; I noticed that a road grader was operating to the side of the runway. As we were rolling down the runway; it moved so that it was right against the edge of the runway. We passed abeam it right at rotation. (This is when I advised the first officer of the vehicle's presence.) it appeared that our wing went over the grader -- even though I know our wing span put it an estimated 12 ft away from our wing. This is way too close! I advised tower after we got airborne and they said they had talked to them about staying away from the runway and that they would talk to them again. If we had blown a tire on takeoff resulting in an abort; a possible collision could have occurred. Tower needs to be more assertive in ensuring that construction crews know where they can and cannot go with relation to the runway. Also; they need to be watching them and if they get too close; takeoff clearance needs to be canceled and not reissued until the construction crews are out of the area. As a crew member; I should have told the first officer about the machinery when I saw it (earlier than I did) so that we both could be aware of its proximity to the aircraft and the need of a possible abort if it got too close to the runway.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEAVY CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT WAS OPERATING ALONGSIDE THE RWY AS A B737 WAS COMPLETING ROTATION DURING TKOF.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN AN IMMEDIATE TKOF DUE TO TFC ON A 4 MI FINAL; ON TKOF ROLL; I NOTICED THAT A ROAD GRADER WAS OPERATING TO THE SIDE OF THE RWY. AS WE WERE ROLLING DOWN THE RWY; IT MOVED SO THAT IT WAS RIGHT AGAINST THE EDGE OF THE RWY. WE PASSED ABEAM IT RIGHT AT ROTATION. (THIS IS WHEN I ADVISED THE FO OF THE VEHICLE'S PRESENCE.) IT APPEARED THAT OUR WING WENT OVER THE GRADER -- EVEN THOUGH I KNOW OUR WING SPAN PUT IT AN ESTIMATED 12 FT AWAY FROM OUR WING. THIS IS WAY TOO CLOSE! I ADVISED TWR AFTER WE GOT AIRBORNE AND THEY SAID THEY HAD TALKED TO THEM ABOUT STAYING AWAY FROM THE RWY AND THAT THEY WOULD TALK TO THEM AGAIN. IF WE HAD BLOWN A TIRE ON TKOF RESULTING IN AN ABORT; A POSSIBLE COLLISION COULD HAVE OCCURRED. TWR NEEDS TO BE MORE ASSERTIVE IN ENSURING THAT CONSTRUCTION CREWS KNOW WHERE THEY CAN AND CANNOT GO WITH RELATION TO THE RWY. ALSO; THEY NEED TO BE WATCHING THEM AND IF THEY GET TOO CLOSE; TKOF CLRNC NEEDS TO BE CANCELED AND NOT REISSUED UNTIL THE CONSTRUCTION CREWS ARE OUT OF THE AREA. AS A CREW MEMBER; I SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE FO ABOUT THE MACHINERY WHEN I SAW IT (EARLIER THAN I DID) SO THAT WE BOTH COULD BE AWARE OF ITS PROX TO THE ACFT AND THE NEED OF A POSSIBLE ABORT IF IT GOT TOO CLOSE TO THE RWY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.