Widebody transport on takeoff roll told cancel takeoff clearance. Unauthorized vehicle crossing runw...

Attributes
ACN	247259
Time
Date	199307
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oko
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	247259
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During takeoff roll just prior to V1, tower advised us 'cancel takeoff clearance' and after a pause (at which time we rotated), 'unauthorized vehicle crossing the runway.' we saw a flashing light crossing the runway under our nose on our liftoff. It seemed to be near the departure end. I can't really fault the tower man, but getting a takeoff cancellation that late in a takeoff roll is a little disconcerting, and it takes precious seconds to process it. I would rather hear 'there's a truck crossing the runway' and leave the decision to us about what to do at that point. Another case for timely, concise communications.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB ON TKOF ROLL TOLD CANCEL TKOF CLRNC. UNAUTH VEHICLE XING RWY. TOO LATE.

Narrative: DURING TKOF ROLL JUST PRIOR TO V1, TWR ADVISED US 'CANCEL TKOF CLRNC' AND AFTER A PAUSE (AT WHICH TIME WE ROTATED), 'UNAUTH VEHICLE XING THE RWY.' WE SAW A FLASHING LIGHT XING THE RWY UNDER OUR NOSE ON OUR LIFTOFF. IT SEEMED TO BE NEAR THE DEP END. I CAN'T REALLY FAULT THE TWR MAN, BUT GETTING A TKOF CANCELLATION THAT LATE IN A TKOF ROLL IS A LITTLE DISCONCERTING, AND IT TAKES PRECIOUS SECONDS TO PROCESS IT. I WOULD RATHER HEAR 'THERE'S A TRUCK XING THE RWY' AND LEAVE THE DECISION TO US ABOUT WHAT TO DO AT THAT POINT. ANOTHER CASE FOR TIMELY, CONCISE COMS.

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.

Widebody transport on takeoff roll told cancel takeoff clearance. Unauthorized vehicle crossing runway. Too late.