Narrative:

As we approached the departure end of runway 02, we visually checked for other aircraft traffic in the area and seeing none we communicated: 'small aircraft xy is taking the active runway 02 at danville for takeoff.' we then received the response on airport advisory frequency: 'roger small aircraft xy there's no other reported traffic.' as we became aligned with the runway and in the takeoff position, we noticed that we did not have the runway's full length in view. This was due to the uphill rise for the first half and the downward slope of the last half of runway 02. The fact that we could not see the opposite end of the runway did not cause us too much concern since the airport advisory had just told us that '..there's no other reported traffic.' I then turned the controls over to the right seat pilot who would be making the takeoff and I transmitted on the airport advisory frequency: 'small aircraft xy is taking off on runway 02 at danville.' we did not hear nor did we expect to hear a response to this transmission. During our takeoff roll and upon reaching the top of the crest at the approximately midpoint down the runway, I noticed a blue van moving onto the runway from the left. I initially thought this vehicle was at the far end of the runway and would be no factor, but I quickly realized that it was actually about 1000 ft before the end. It was difficult for me to believe what I was seeing or how this could be happening. As the vehicle continued to move across the runway, I felt that it would clear the runway in sufficient time. But then, the unthinkable happened. It actually stopped in the middle of the runway. By this time the aircraft was well into its takeoff roll and near rotation speed. I felt that a rejected takeoff at this point would be unsuccessful in stopping short of a collision or even within the remaining runway distance. At this time I gave the command 'rotate.' the right seat pilot yanked back on the control yoke and the aircraft lifted off the runway and flew over the top of the parked vehicle. This quick and responsive action saved the day and no doubt avoided a major catastrophe. During the climb, I called back on the advisory frequency to tell what had happened and to find out why the vehicle was there in the first place. I was given an apology and informed that the maintenance technician in the vehicle '... Must not have been listening to the radio.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GND VEHICLE ON RWY AT NON TWR ARPT UNICOM AS SMA IN TKOF PROC.

Narrative: AS WE APCHED THE DEP END OF RWY 02, WE VISUALLY CHKED FOR OTHER ACFT TFC IN THE AREA AND SEEING NONE WE COMMUNICATED: 'SMA XY IS TAKING THE ACTIVE RWY 02 AT DANVILLE FOR TKOF.' WE THEN RECEIVED THE RESPONSE ON ARPT ADVISORY FREQ: 'ROGER SMA XY THERE'S NO OTHER RPTED TFC.' AS WE BECAME ALIGNED WITH THE RWY AND IN THE TKOF POS, WE NOTICED THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THE RWY'S FULL LENGTH IN VIEW. THIS WAS DUE TO THE UPHILL RISE FOR THE FIRST HALF AND THE DOWNWARD SLOPE OF THE LAST HALF OF RWY 02. THE FACT THAT WE COULD NOT SEE THE OPPOSITE END OF THE RWY DID NOT CAUSE US TOO MUCH CONCERN SINCE THE ARPT ADVISORY HAD JUST TOLD US THAT '..THERE'S NO OTHER RPTED TFC.' I THEN TURNED THE CTLS OVER TO THE R SEAT PLT WHO WOULD BE MAKING THE TKOF AND I XMITTED ON THE ARPT ADVISORY FREQ: 'SMA XY IS TAKING OFF ON RWY 02 AT DANVILLE.' WE DID NOT HEAR NOR DID WE EXPECT TO HEAR A RESPONSE TO THIS XMISSION. DURING OUR TKOF ROLL AND UPON REACHING THE TOP OF THE CREST AT THE APPROX MIDPOINT DOWN THE RWY, I NOTICED A BLUE VAN MOVING ONTO THE RWY FROM THE L. I INITIALLY THOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WAS AT THE FAR END OF THE RWY AND WOULD BE NO FACTOR, BUT I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY ABOUT 1000 FT BEFORE THE END. IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO BELIEVE WHAT I WAS SEEING OR HOW THIS COULD BE HAPPENING. AS THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE ACROSS THE RWY, I FELT THAT IT WOULD CLR THE RWY IN SUFFICIENT TIME. BUT THEN, THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED. IT ACTUALLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RWY. BY THIS TIME THE ACFT WAS WELL INTO ITS TKOF ROLL AND NEAR ROTATION SPD. I FELT THAT A REJECTED TKOF AT THIS POINT WOULD BE UNSUCCESSFUL IN STOPPING SHORT OF A COLLISION OR EVEN WITHIN THE REMAINING RWY DISTANCE. AT THIS TIME I GAVE THE COMMAND 'ROTATE.' THE R SEAT PLT YANKED BACK ON THE CTL YOKE AND THE ACFT LIFTED OFF THE RWY AND FLEW OVER THE TOP OF THE PARKED VEHICLE. THIS QUICK AND RESPONSIVE ACTION SAVED THE DAY AND NO DOUBT AVOIDED A MAJOR CATASTROPHE. DURING THE CLB, I CALLED BACK ON THE ADVISORY FREQ TO TELL WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND TO FIND OUT WHY THE VEHICLE WAS THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. I WAS GIVEN AN APOLOGY AND INFORMED THAT THE MAINT TECHNICIAN IN THE VEHICLE '... MUST NOT HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO THE RADIO.'

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