Narrative:

The problem arose because several aircraft were and had been for some time using runway 6 for takeoffs and lndgs. Several planes, including the one I was in, had been doing touch and go lndgs on runway 6. A commuter aircraft taxied out to use runway 2 which intersects both runway 6 and its parallel taxiway. The commuter was awaiting takeoff on runway 2. Our aircraft had 2 licensed and well-qualified pilots in the front seats who were looking and listening for the commuter and other planes. Neither pilot saw nor heard on the radio any intention of the commuter's takeoff. The grass along the taxiway and runway was very high (it was cut later that same day). In addition, the takeoff elevation of runway 2 is exactly 20' lower in elevation that the runway elevation near where it xes the intersection with runway 6. The taxiway is located on the back side of this hill in the runway. The commuter's paint scheme (white with blue trim) causes it to blend perfectly into a blue sky that has an occasional white scattered cloud. With neither pilot in our aircraft seeing nor hearing any indication of an impending takeoff by the commuter, we proceeded to cross runway 2 via our taxiway. Approximately 1/2-2/3 of the way across the runway we saw the commuter plane coming over the hill on the runway. We then expedited our crossing. The commuter stopped his takeoff attempt. We proceeded to the ramp area. It would D be my strongest suggestion that every effort be made to place into operation a VFR control tower. I further would suggest that all traffic use the same runway unless very extenuating circumstances dictate otherwise. Increased announcements on the unicom, particularly by aircraft not using the current runway, may increase awareness of potential conflicts. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated that they have had several reports of problems with this commuter airline. Recently 1 inbound called on unicom 35 mi out, said starting downwind for runway 2, and then with no more calls close in landed on runway 24. In this incident, small transport was apparently on unicom as made remark about another aircraft, but made no reports of taking runway or on takeoff roll. Airport commission has mentioned problem to president of commuter line, but received a non committal answer. Has probably told his pilots to cut every corner they can to save money.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR-SMT ON TKOF AT NON TWR ARPT DID NOT ANNOUNCE INTENTIONS AND HAD TO ABORT FOR SMA CROSSING RWY OVER RISE TOWARDS LAST HALF OF ARPT.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE BECAUSE SEVERAL ACFT WERE AND HAD BEEN FOR SOME TIME USING RWY 6 FOR TKOFS AND LNDGS. SEVERAL PLANES, INCLUDING THE ONE I WAS IN, HAD BEEN DOING TOUCH AND GO LNDGS ON RWY 6. A COMMUTER ACFT TAXIED OUT TO USE RWY 2 WHICH INTERSECTS BOTH RWY 6 AND ITS PARALLEL TXWY. THE COMMUTER WAS AWAITING TKOF ON RWY 2. OUR ACFT HAD 2 LICENSED AND WELL-QUALIFIED PLTS IN THE FRONT SEATS WHO WERE LOOKING AND LISTENING FOR THE COMMUTER AND OTHER PLANES. NEITHER PLT SAW NOR HEARD ON THE RADIO ANY INTENTION OF THE COMMUTER'S TKOF. THE GRASS ALONG THE TXWY AND RWY WAS VERY HIGH (IT WAS CUT LATER THAT SAME DAY). IN ADDITION, THE TKOF ELEVATION OF RWY 2 IS EXACTLY 20' LOWER IN ELEVATION THAT THE RWY ELEVATION NEAR WHERE IT XES THE INTXN WITH RWY 6. THE TXWY IS LOCATED ON THE BACK SIDE OF THIS HILL IN THE RWY. THE COMMUTER'S PAINT SCHEME (WHITE WITH BLUE TRIM) CAUSES IT TO BLEND PERFECTLY INTO A BLUE SKY THAT HAS AN OCCASIONAL WHITE SCATTERED CLOUD. WITH NEITHER PLT IN OUR ACFT SEEING NOR HEARING ANY INDICATION OF AN IMPENDING TKOF BY THE COMMUTER, WE PROCEEDED TO CROSS RWY 2 VIA OUR TXWY. APPROX 1/2-2/3 OF THE WAY ACROSS THE RWY WE SAW THE COMMUTER PLANE COMING OVER THE HILL ON THE RWY. WE THEN EXPEDITED OUR XING. THE COMMUTER STOPPED HIS TKOF ATTEMPT. WE PROCEEDED TO THE RAMP AREA. IT WOULD D BE MY STRONGEST SUGGESTION THAT EVERY EFFORT BE MADE TO PLACE INTO OPERATION A VFR CTL TWR. I FURTHER WOULD SUGGEST THAT ALL TFC USE THE SAME RWY UNLESS VERY EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE OTHERWISE. INCREASED ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THE UNICOM, PARTICULARLY BY ACFT NOT USING THE CURRENT RWY, MAY INCREASE AWARENESS OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL RPTS OF PROBS WITH THIS COMMUTER AIRLINE. RECENTLY 1 INBND CALLED ON UNICOM 35 MI OUT, SAID STARTING DOWNWIND FOR RWY 2, AND THEN WITH NO MORE CALLS CLOSE IN LANDED ON RWY 24. IN THIS INCIDENT, SMT WAS APPARENTLY ON UNICOM AS MADE REMARK ABOUT ANOTHER ACFT, BUT MADE NO RPTS OF TAKING RWY OR ON TKOF ROLL. ARPT COMMISSION HAS MENTIONED PROB TO PRESIDENT OF COMMUTER LINE, BUT RECEIVED A NON COMMITTAL ANSWER. HAS PROBABLY TOLD HIS PLTS TO CUT EVERY CORNER THEY CAN TO SAVE MONEY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.