B737 crew instructed by den ground controller to taxi to a closed runway.

Attributes
ACN	562259
Time
Date	200209
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	other
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 9075 flight time type : 2277
ASRS Report	562259
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility Flight Crew Human Performance Airport ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Departure ATIS received and stated runway 7/25 closed. When on ground frequency controller said to taxi to runway 25 on taxiway G and contact tower 135.3 on G taxiway. I said isn't runway 25 closed? First officer was getting ACARS WX again. Den is always changing ATIS and thought it was a change. Same ATIS tower had a couple mins and no new information exchanged. We were cleared for takeoff at taxiway G and entered runway 25 and saw vehicles on runway. Did not takeoff and then taxied to runway 34. Captain got a phone number and called when on the ground. The supervisor was still in a meeting with why this happened. Two areas need looking at. Too many ATIS changes and more inquiry when there are questions and need confirmation I will find out from the den ATC supervisor in the tower what had happened that day. If the trucks had not been visible on the runway 25 and had not been VFR, I do not want to think of what may have happened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW INSTRUCTED BY DEN GND CTLR TO TAXI TO A CLOSED RWY.

Narrative: DEP ATIS RECEIVED AND STATED RWY 7/25 CLOSED. WHEN ON GND FREQ CTLR SAID TO TAXI TO RWY 25 ON TXWY G AND CONTACT TWR 135.3 ON G TXWY. I SAID ISN'T RWY 25 CLOSED? FO WAS GETTING ACARS WX AGAIN. DEN IS ALWAYS CHANGING ATIS AND THOUGHT IT WAS A CHANGE. SAME ATIS TWR HAD A COUPLE MINS AND NO NEW INFO EXCHANGED. WE WERE CLRED FOR TAKEOFF AT TXWY G AND ENTERED RWY 25 AND SAW VEHICLES ON RWY. DID NOT TAKEOFF AND THEN TAXIED TO RWY 34. CAPT GOT A PHONE NUMBER AND CALLED WHEN ON THE GND. THE SUPVR WAS STILL IN A MEETING WITH WHY THIS HAPPENED. TWO AREAS NEED LOOKING AT. TOO MANY ATIS CHANGES AND MORE INQUIRY WHEN THERE ARE QUESTIONS AND NEED CONFIRMATION I WILL FIND OUT FROM THE DEN ATC SUPVR IN THE TWR WHAT HAD HAPPENED THAT DAY. IF THE TRUCKS HAD NOT BEEN VISIBLE ON THE RWY 25 AND HAD NOT BEEN VFR, I DO NOT WANT TO THINK OF WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED.

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.