Narrative:

While on approach to 9a6 reporting to unicom approaching; downwind and final for runway 17 there were no responses. When turning base there was an object noticed near the threshold of runway 17. On final it was noticed the object to back up and to be a truck. Continuing my approach; watching the object; I made my approach higher than usual in case the truck should pull into my path. When focusing my view to the runway and just starting my flare; I noticed a tripod sticking up into my path on the edge of the runway. I was able to barely clear the tripod without time to react. I immediately called the unicom talking with the airport manager; who announced he had reported this to FAA for a NOTAM and did not know why it was not announced. I don't understand why the unicom did not announce this to oncoming traffic as well. I parked my plane and drove to the end of runway 17 talking to the two workers who excitedly reported they thought I was going to hit the tripod (GPS rover) which was extended about 7 ft high at the very approach end of runway. They told me the tripod was valued at $50;000 and could not have been moved at the time. Workers reported to have a radio receiver but no capabilities of transmitting to air traffic. The company was employed by the FAA to survey. If I had not been higher on approach than usual and had had to pull up at the moment of visual with the tripod; it would have caused a crash into the tripod or very likely an approach stall. There should have been a warning by the airport operator (unicom); a temporary X placed on the runway; a NOTAM reported and two-way radio provided by the workers working on the runway.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: M20 PILOT REPORTS NEARLY HITTING SURVEY EQUIPMENT ON RWY 17 DURING LANDING AT 9A6.

Narrative: WHILE ON APPROACH TO 9A6 REPORTING TO UNICOM APPROACHING; DOWNWIND AND FINAL FOR RWY 17 THERE WERE NO RESPONSES. WHEN TURNING BASE THERE WAS AN OBJECT NOTICED NEAR THE THRESHOLD OF RWY 17. ON FINAL IT WAS NOTICED THE OBJECT TO BACK UP AND TO BE A TRUCK. CONTINUING MY APPROACH; WATCHING THE OBJECT; I MADE MY APPROACH HIGHER THAN USUAL IN CASE THE TRUCK SHOULD PULL INTO MY PATH. WHEN FOCUSING MY VIEW TO THE RUNWAY AND JUST STARTING MY FLARE; I NOTICED A TRIPOD STICKING UP INTO MY PATH ON THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. I WAS ABLE TO BARELY CLEAR THE TRIPOD WITHOUT TIME TO REACT. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE UNICOM TALKING WITH THE AIRPORT MANAGER; WHO ANNOUNCED HE HAD REPORTED THIS TO FAA FOR A NOTAM AND DID NOT KNOW WHY IT WAS NOT ANNOUNCED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE UNICOM DID NOT ANNOUNCE THIS TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AS WELL. I PARKED MY PLANE AND DROVE TO THE END OF RWY 17 TALKING TO THE TWO WORKERS WHO EXCITEDLY REPORTED THEY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HIT THE TRIPOD (GPS ROVER) WHICH WAS EXTENDED ABOUT 7 FT HIGH AT THE VERY APPROACH END OF RUNWAY. THEY TOLD ME THE TRIPOD WAS VALUED AT $50;000 AND COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MOVED AT THE TIME. WORKERS REPORTED TO HAVE A RADIO RECEIVER BUT NO CAPABILITIES OF TRANSMITTING TO AIR TRAFFIC. THE COMPANY WAS EMPLOYED BY THE FAA TO SURVEY. IF I HAD NOT BEEN HIGHER ON APPROACH THAN USUAL AND HAD HAD TO PULL UP AT THE MOMENT OF VISUAL WITH THE TRIPOD; IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH INTO THE TRIPOD OR VERY LIKELY AN APPROACH STALL. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A WARNING BY THE AIRPORT OPERATOR (UNICOM); A TEMPORARY X PLACED ON THE RUNWAY; A NOTAM REPORTED AND TWO-WAY RADIO PROVIDED BY THE WORKERS WORKING ON THE RUNWAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.