Narrative:

Daylight VFR, air carrier X, touchdown runway 17R. I put air carrier Y into position and hold. Air carrier Y advised didn't have numbers and wasn't ready for departure. I had no other traffic in or out, so I let him take delay on runway. 2 contributing factors so far: light traffic and letting air carrier Y take delay on runway. Air carrier X was issued exiting instructions at intersection M2 as they passed intersection M3. I then asked air carrier Y if they were ready. I scanned runway plus d-brite and observed X turning at intersection M2. Y said they were ready so I cleared Y for takeoff. Y then said, 'isn't there someone still on runway?' instinctively I canceled the takeoff on runway. X immediately keyed up and verified they were off runway. I cleared Y for takeoff again. We all have heard it over and over. Stay more alert during 'slow' times. Also, I won't let someone take a delay no matter how short on a runway. What I believe Y saw was the den VOR sits about 1 mi south of runway 17R. We've had numerous reports and have brought it to the attention of management that to an aircraft departing runway 17R it looks like a vehicle/aircraft on the runway. Only the top of the VOR is visible from the approach end of runway 17R. It needs to be painted or maybe a NOTAM issued but that's a catch 22. If there still is 'something' on the runway and we clear the aircraft for takeoff thinking it's the VOR, things could be worse. A heads up if you're departing the new airport off runway 17R. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated this problem has been brought to the attention of facility management and airport management. Reporter stated he knows of at least 3 other incidents where an aircraft departing questioned if there was an aircraft or vehicle on the runway. The problem only occurs during the day, not at night.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VOR AT DEP END OF RWY APPEARS TO BE A VEHICLE OR ACFT ON RWY TO DEPARTING ACFT.

Narrative: DAYLIGHT VFR, ACR X, TOUCHDOWN RWY 17R. I PUT ACR Y INTO POS AND HOLD. ACR Y ADVISED DIDN'T HAVE NUMBERS AND WASN'T READY FOR DEP. I HAD NO OTHER TFC IN OR OUT, SO I LET HIM TAKE DELAY ON RWY. 2 CONTRIBUTING FACTORS SO FAR: LIGHT TFC AND LETTING ACR Y TAKE DELAY ON RWY. ACR X WAS ISSUED EXITING INSTRUCTIONS AT INTXN M2 AS THEY PASSED INTXN M3. I THEN ASKED ACR Y IF THEY WERE READY. I SCANNED RWY PLUS D-BRITE AND OBSERVED X TURNING AT INTXN M2. Y SAID THEY WERE READY SO I CLRED Y FOR TKOF. Y THEN SAID, 'ISN'T THERE SOMEONE STILL ON RWY?' INSTINCTIVELY I CANCELED THE TKOF ON RWY. X IMMEDIATELY KEYED UP AND VERIFIED THEY WERE OFF RWY. I CLRED Y FOR TKOF AGAIN. WE ALL HAVE HEARD IT OVER AND OVER. STAY MORE ALERT DURING 'SLOW' TIMES. ALSO, I WON'T LET SOMEONE TAKE A DELAY NO MATTER HOW SHORT ON A RWY. WHAT I BELIEVE Y SAW WAS THE DEN VOR SITS ABOUT 1 MI S OF RWY 17R. WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS RPTS AND HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTN OF MGMNT THAT TO AN ACFT DEPARTING RWY 17R IT LOOKS LIKE A VEHICLE/ACFT ON THE RWY. ONLY THE TOP OF THE VOR IS VISIBLE FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 17R. IT NEEDS TO BE PAINTED OR MAYBE A NOTAM ISSUED BUT THAT'S A CATCH 22. IF THERE STILL IS 'SOMETHING' ON THE RWY AND WE CLR THE ACFT FOR TKOF THINKING IT'S THE VOR, THINGS COULD BE WORSE. A HEADS UP IF YOU'RE DEPARTING THE NEW ARPT OFF RWY 17R. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THIS PROB HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF FACILITY MGMNT AND ARPT MGMNT. RPTR STATED HE KNOWS OF AT LEAST 3 OTHER INCIDENTS WHERE AN ACFT DEPARTING QUESTIONED IF THERE WAS AN ACFT OR VEHICLE ON THE RWY. THE PROB ONLY OCCURS DURING THE DAY, NOT AT NIGHT.

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.