This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
While preparing for landing at ZZZ, a left upwind leg was made to Runway XX at 1,000 feet AGL to ensure that the runway was clear at this uncontrolled airport and to check wind direction indicators on the ground.
People and equipment were observed near the left side of the runway. One person was actually on the edge of the runway. They appeared to be working.
NOTAMS were checked before takeoff; there were no NOTAMS for ZZZ.
The flight was continued on upwind, crosswind, downwind and final legs. The person on the edge of the runway did not seem to be preparing to clear the runway for my aircraft to land.
At about 100 feet AGL a go-around was initiated. The flight was continued on upwind, cross wind, downwind and final legs. Again, the person on the edge of the runway failed to clear the runway; in fact he stepped out on the runway while I was on my final approach. Another go around was made.
I had been announcing all legs in the pattern on Unicom frequency. While on upwind, crosswind and downwind legs of the third pattern, I called in the blind to see if there was anyone on the ground near the airport who could go and get the people away from the runway so I could land.
Someone answered and said that he would do it. Shortly after that, the person who had been on the edge of the runway and on the runway at one point moved away from the runway.
The aircraft landed without further incident. I thanked the person who had helped by having the people move away from the runway. He acknowledged my thanks.
Primary Problem: Human Factors
ACN: 1839344
If he had hit the guy, it would have damaged a perfectly good airplane and potentially injured the pilot. But it might have also taken an idiot out of the gene pool.
Having a PA system on the plane might be a good idea. Scare wildlife and dummies on the runway….
There was a report supposedly of an airmail pilot flying low and slow over a runway and hollering “Get that cow out of the way.” LOL Don’t know if it’s true but I thought it was amusing when I read it.
‘Specially if you play “Flight of the Valkyrie”!