A C152 pilot, on downwind at uncontrolled airport, saw traffic on takeoff roll, opposite direction.

Attributes
ACN	498030
Time
Date	200101
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vdf.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	498030
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2500 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Operating in traffic pattern at vandenberg (X16), fl, during left down to runway 23, noticed flashing red light moving on runway 5. First thought it was an inspection car checking runway lights, but it started moving too fast. Did not climb more than 300 ft. No radio call from any aircraft on airport. I think it was a chopper. Tampa police and sheriff office/county operate out of X16. No dangerous collision occurred, but this is another [example] of a continuing problem at uncontrolled airports -- failure to communicate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C152 PLT, ON DOWNWIND AT UNCTLED ARPT, SAW TFC ON TKOF ROLL, OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Narrative: OPERATING IN TFC PATTERN AT VANDENBERG (X16), FL, DURING L DOWN TO RWY 23, NOTICED FLASHING RED LIGHT MOVING ON RWY 5. FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS AN INSPECTION CAR CHKING RWY LIGHTS, BUT IT STARTED MOVING TOO FAST. DID NOT CLB MORE THAN 300 FT. NO RADIO CALL FROM ANY ACFT ON ARPT. I THINK IT WAS A CHOPPER. TAMPA POLICE AND SHERIFF OFFICE/COUNTY OPERATE OUT OF X16. NO DANGEROUS COLLISION OCCURRED, BUT THIS IS ANOTHER [EXAMPLE] OF A CONTINUING PROB AT UNCTLED ARPTS -- FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE.

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.