Narrative:

Mdw has been departing northwest (runway 31L/right). As rainshowers passed south of airport, the wind shifted to the south. I was the first aircraft cleared for takeoff on runway 22L. I was cleared for takeoff and turned on my landing lights, ground flood, nacelle/wing lights and nosegear light. At mid-runway I first saw the small transport (later reported as small transport) taxiing from my right to left near the departure end of runway 22L. He was short of runway 22L at this point, however he did not stop. I was heavy and on a short runway, so the best maneuver was a normal rotation at vr rather than to attempt a reject and have to avoid the small transport on the runway. I believe he was crossing at the far diagonal headed towards the army guard hangar and south ramp which is uncontrolled. I had no doubt my aircraft would safely clear the small transport after rotation since he was near the departure end. I notified tower of the situation and notified my company flight dispatch. Report was submitted to my chief pilot. I suspect the small transport was anticipating runway 31L/right and did not realize runway 22L/right was now the active. This intrusion might have been avoided if the airport had flashing active runway signs similar to atl hartsfield. The tower is investigating. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: FAA investigating for possible action against the small transport pilot. Small transport was monitoring ground control. Reporter first saw aircraft as he was nearing the midpoint of the field while on his takeoff roll and assumed the small transport would hold short of runway 22L. Aircraft heavy and felt he would have a problem if he attempted an abort. Elected to continue the takeoff since he knew he had plenty of room to clear the small transport. Company report was lost and his chief pilot requested a copy of his report since the FAA wanted further information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT FAILED TO COMPLY WITH CLRNC AND CROSSED AN ACTIVE RWY.

Narrative: MDW HAS BEEN DEPARTING NW (RWY 31L/R). AS RAINSHOWERS PASSED S OF ARPT, THE WIND SHIFTED TO THE S. I WAS THE FIRST ACFT CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 22L. I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF AND TURNED ON MY LNDG LIGHTS, GND FLOOD, NACELLE/WING LIGHTS AND NOSEGEAR LIGHT. AT MID-RWY I FIRST SAW THE SMT (LATER RPTED AS SMT) TAXIING FROM MY RIGHT TO LEFT NEAR THE DEP END OF RWY 22L. HE WAS SHORT OF RWY 22L AT THIS POINT, HOWEVER HE DID NOT STOP. I WAS HVY AND ON A SHORT RWY, SO THE BEST MANEUVER WAS A NORMAL ROTATION AT VR RATHER THAN TO ATTEMPT A REJECT AND HAVE TO AVOID THE SMT ON THE RWY. I BELIEVE HE WAS XING AT THE FAR DIAGONAL HEADED TOWARDS THE ARMY GUARD HANGAR AND S RAMP WHICH IS UNCTLED. I HAD NO DOUBT MY ACFT WOULD SAFELY CLEAR THE SMT AFTER ROTATION SINCE HE WAS NEAR THE DEP END. I NOTIFIED TWR OF THE SITUATION AND NOTIFIED MY COMPANY FLT DISPATCH. RPT WAS SUBMITTED TO MY CHIEF PLT. I SUSPECT THE SMT WAS ANTICIPATING RWY 31L/R AND DID NOT REALIZE RWY 22L/R WAS NOW THE ACTIVE. THIS INTRUSION MIGHT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE ARPT HAD FLASHING ACTIVE RWY SIGNS SIMILAR TO ATL HARTSFIELD. THE TWR IS INVESTIGATING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: FAA INVESTIGATING FOR POSSIBLE ACTION AGAINST THE SMT PLT. SMT WAS MONITORING GND CTL. RPTR FIRST SAW ACFT AS HE WAS NEARING THE MIDPOINT OF THE FIELD WHILE ON HIS TKOF ROLL AND ASSUMED THE SMT WOULD HOLD SHORT OF RWY 22L. ACFT HVY AND FELT HE WOULD HAVE A PROB IF HE ATTEMPTED AN ABORT. ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE TKOF SINCE HE KNEW HE HAD PLENTY OF ROOM TO CLEAR THE SMT. COMPANY REPORT WAS LOST AND HIS CHIEF PLT REQUESTED A COPY OF HIS RPT SINCE THE FAA WANTED FURTHER INFO.

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