Narrative:

While taxiing to do a runup on a training flight, we noticed a glider on mid runway. The cockpit was open and the people were out of the glider. The glider had landed about 10 mins earlier. The runway is 6000 ft. We taxied to the south end of the runway. We did a runup. It had been 15 mins when we last saw the glider. We could not see the middle of the runway due to the runway slopes. We started our takeoff roll and noticed the glider when we rotated. I think that a displaced threshold could have prevented this incident. I thought we were looking at the whole runway when we started our takeoff. Or, a sign could be placed to warn pilots of such illusions on this runway. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated when questioned that he did not speak to any airport personnel about the incident because this is not his home base and he was just passing through the area. Once he was airborne and sighted the glider still on the runway he felt it safer to continue rather than touch down and use heavy braking to avoid contact with the glider. There is a rise in the runway which does not allow visibility of the entire runway from the south end. He was unaware of this. He certainly expected the glider would have been removed from the runway in the time it took to taxi, run up, and make his 360 degree turn to check for traffic in the pattern. Reporter was advised of the FAA hotline for follow-up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT UNABLE TO SEE COMPLETE LENGTH OF RWY DUE TO RISE WHICH HIDES A GLIDER ON THE RWY. DEPARTS OVER THE GLIDER MISSING IT BY ABOUT 300 FT.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING TO DO A RUNUP ON A TRAINING FLT, WE NOTICED A GLIDER ON MID RWY. THE COCKPIT WAS OPEN AND THE PEOPLE WERE OUT OF THE GLIDER. THE GLIDER HAD LANDED ABOUT 10 MINS EARLIER. THE RWY IS 6000 FT. WE TAXIED TO THE S END OF THE RWY. WE DID A RUNUP. IT HAD BEEN 15 MINS WHEN WE LAST SAW THE GLIDER. WE COULD NOT SEE THE MIDDLE OF THE RWY DUE TO THE RWY SLOPES. WE STARTED OUR TKOF ROLL AND NOTICED THE GLIDER WHEN WE ROTATED. I THINK THAT A DISPLACED THRESHOLD COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT. I THOUGHT WE WERE LOOKING AT THE WHOLE RWY WHEN WE STARTED OUR TKOF. OR, A SIGN COULD BE PLACED TO WARN PLTS OF SUCH ILLUSIONS ON THIS RWY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED WHEN QUESTIONED THAT HE DID NOT SPEAK TO ANY ARPT PERSONNEL ABOUT THE INCIDENT BECAUSE THIS IS NOT HIS HOME BASE AND HE WAS JUST PASSING THROUGH THE AREA. ONCE HE WAS AIRBORNE AND SIGHTED THE GLIDER STILL ON THE RWY HE FELT IT SAFER TO CONTINUE RATHER THAN TOUCH DOWN AND USE HVY BRAKING TO AVOID CONTACT WITH THE GLIDER. THERE IS A RISE IN THE RWY WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW VISIBILITY OF THE ENTIRE RWY FROM THE S END. HE WAS UNAWARE OF THIS. HE CERTAINLY EXPECTED THE GLIDER WOULD HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE RWY IN THE TIME IT TOOK TO TAXI, RUN UP, AND MAKE HIS 360 DEG TURN TO CHK FOR TFC IN THE PATTERN. RPTR WAS ADVISED OF THE FAA HOTLINE FOR FOLLOW-UP.

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.