Narrative:

Training flight with a student. Winds favored runway 24. Taxiway to runway 24 crosses runway 15-33 within 200 ft of the runway 15 threshold. We were monitoring CTAF during taxi. As we approached the holdshort line we performed an s-turn to visually clear the runway and approach end for traffic; first 15; then 33. After visually clearing the runway; I announced on the CTAF that we were; 'crossing 15-33 on the ground.' as we began to taxi past the holdshort line; an airport employee announced over the CTAF that there was an aircraft on takeoff roll runway 33. I immediately applied the brakes and soon after I had visual contact with a low wing single that was climbing out runway 33. Upon returning to the airport I met the airport employee and thanked them for the radio call. I asked them if they heard the other aircraft announce their departure on 33. The employee confirmed they heard the call and noted that they thought it was odd since the winds were favoring 24 and nobody was operating on 33 all day. Contributing factors: #1: airport blind spot. Difficult to see aircraft operating on the surface of runway 33 from the area leading up to the the taxiway that crosses 15-33 since it is approximately 3;000 ft away and there is a downslope. #2: there was construction activity/equipment in the area that may have also created a blind spot. #3: the student was a primary student; and I was giving instruction while taxiing. This distraction may have led to me missing the departure call on the CTAF. What can be done in future:#1: monitor CTAF more closely.#2: be aware of potential airport and aircraft 'blind spots'.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A light aircraft instructor reported missing a takeoff call on CTAF from another aircraft that led to a near conflict at PYM. A warning call from an alert airport employee saved the day.

Narrative: Training flight with a student. Winds favored Runway 24. Taxiway to Runway 24 crosses Runway 15-33 within 200 FT of the Runway 15 threshold. We were monitoring CTAF during taxi. As we approached the holdshort line we performed an S-turn to visually clear the runway and approach end for traffic; first 15; then 33. After visually clearing the runway; I announced on the CTAF that we were; 'crossing 15-33 on the ground.' As we began to taxi past the holdshort line; an airport employee announced over the CTAF that there was an aircraft on takeoff roll Runway 33. I immediately applied the brakes and soon after I had visual contact with a low wing single that was climbing out Runway 33. Upon returning to the airport I met the airport employee and thanked them for the radio call. I asked them if they heard the other aircraft announce their departure on 33. The employee confirmed they heard the call and noted that they thought it was odd since the winds were favoring 24 and nobody was operating on 33 all day. Contributing factors: #1: Airport blind spot. Difficult to see aircraft operating on the surface of Runway 33 from the area leading up to the the taxiway that crosses 15-33 since it is approximately 3;000 FT away and there is a downslope. #2: There was construction activity/equipment in the area that may have also created a blind spot. #3: The student was a primary student; and I was giving instruction while taxiing. This distraction may have led to me missing the departure call on the CTAF. What can be done in future:#1: Monitor CTAF more closely.#2: Be aware of potential airport and aircraft 'blind spots'.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.