Beechjet 400
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Runway
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Rejected Takeoff; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Airport; Procedure
The Tower opens at 0700 and; as we were departing prior to that; we received our ATC clearance from Center prior to taxi out. As [we] began to taxi; I announced on the CTAF our taxi from the ramp to Runway 02 for departure. During the taxi; we crossed Runway 28 and Runway 33. Prior to crossing each runway; I made a call on CTAF stating we were crossing each runway. We arrived at Runway 02 at 0651 local and; since we had not heard or seen any other traffic; I announced we were taking Runway 02 for departure. As we were lining up; a man came on the CTAF with a sense of urgency in his voice; indicating there were two aircraft lined up towards each other. [We were] on Runway 02; and another aircraft; I believe a single engine Cessna; was on Runway 20 (not the runway for the prevailing winds). I immediately made another call on the CTAF requesting the position of the other aircraft and didn't get a response. [We] began to taxi off Runway 02 and onto the taxiway when the man who first announced there were two aircraft on the runway came back on the radio and informed us the other aircraft had vacated the runway and the runway was now clear for us to depart. I questioned him a bit further and; as it turned out; he was the Tower Controller who was watching all this; but since the Tower wasn't opened yet; he had not given anybody any instructions to taxi or takeoff. He saw a potential disaster unfolding before him and got on the radio to let us know what was happening. I am very grateful he did that.When you are departing Runway 02; you cannot see the other end of the field. There is a significant rise in the runway which blocks your view of not only the departure end; but also the other two runways. The other aircraft had not made any radio calls at all. He did not announce a taxi out; he did not announce taking the runway; nor did he make any announcement that he was vacating the runway after the Controller came on frequency. Since the runways were then clear; we departed without further incident. I don't think we could have done much more to avoid this situation. We made four radio calls before we ever knew the other aircraft was on the same runway. We all know extreme vigilance is required at an uncontrolled field; especially on a weekend. Given the sloping terrain towards the middle of the field; we could not see the other end. Without the other pilot making radio calls; there was no way for us to know he was down there. All pilots need to make radio calls at uncontrolled fields. There have been accidents where this wasn't done and people were killed. Thankfully the controller gave us a warning. If he had not done that; the results could very well have been disastrous.
B400 flight crew; taking Runway 2 for takeoff before the Tower was due to be manned; was warned by the oncoming Tower Controller of an aircraft about to takeoff from the opposite end of the runway. B400 flight crew had made all required CTAF calls; but the other aircraft made none. Both aircraft cleared the runway.