Air carrier flight crew reported heavy braking was required to avoid a collision with a truck on their runway at MSLP. The Tower Controller had instructed the truck to exit the runway but the truck failed to do so.
Synopsis
Air carrier flight crew reported heavy braking was required to avoid a collision with a truck on their runway at MSLP. The Tower Controller had instructed the truck to exit the runway but the truck failed to do so.
Narrative
Having received a landing clearance the transition from ILS DME2 Runway 14 to a visual approach was continued. Captain was Flying Pilot. 1000 ft. stable call was made. At about 600 ft. I asked the FO (First Officer) 'Is that paint on the runway?' Slight hesitation and I think the answer was something like 'not sure' or 'that is a big paint spot'. 500 ft call was made. Landing was completed. At about 80 kts. the FO called out 'truck on runway'. I applied very heavy brakes slowing the aircraft quickly to about 20 kts. I exited the runway at Taxiway 'A' continuing to the gate and parking the aircraft. At time of landing the sun was low in the sky and behind the aircraft; the truck was driving down the runway the same direction we were landing. The vehicle was on the center line of the runway; I think the term is 'Relative Movement' since the vehicle was driving down the center line there was no movement of the vehicle relative to the windshield. This made it difficult to identify the object as a vehicle. The vehicle just blended into the background. The vehicle departed the runway northwest of Taxiway 'A' to the north side of the runway.As we were taxiing to the gate the FO asked the Tower Controller if in fact he cleared us to land and the Controller stated 'Yes'. After we parked again the FO asked if a landing clearance was issued and the Controller stated 'Yes'. The Controller said he told the vehicle to clear the runway but said the vehicle driver must have missed the transmission.[A contributing factor was fatigue related to early] duty day and 10 hours behind the door the night before; and [an early] duty day on the day of the event. I think there was only one Controller on duty.
Second reporter narrative
During the approach; the CA (Captain) (PF (Pilot Flying)) ended up unexpectedly high on the visual approach (backed up by the ILS DME 2) once turning to final. He used gear extension; full speed brakes and manual flying to bring the aircraft to within stable limits by the 500 ft. callout; but our attention was focused on whether we would need to perform a Go-around or not. This channelized attention led to a later-than-normal completion of the before landing checklist. All this is to say the final moments of this approach were rushed and compressed. Shortly before reaching the flare; the CA asked; 'Is that something on the runway? Or is that just paint?' We saw something yellow about halfway down the runway; slightly left of centerline; but at a distance of over 1NM it looked like a strip of yellow paint. We had been cleared to land and were the only aircraft talking with approach for several minutes at this sleepy airport. So cognitively I convinced myself it must be some type of paint indicating an area of a temporary repair or something non-standard that must be specific to Mexico (I am inexperienced with Mexico airports). I said; 'I think it's just paint' as we entered the flare; and I cross-checked the yellow spot out front several times as I confirmed spoilers extending on touch-down. As the flare and touchdown were happening; the shape of the yellow appeared to be three dimensional rather than two dimensional like paint; and I quickly realized it was a vehicle stopped on the runway; approximately 20 feet to the left of centerline. I called out; 'That's a vehicle on the runway!' to the CA rather than 'Go-Around' since thrust reversers had already been selected. The CA came heavily on the brakes as I called Tower saying; 'Get that truck off the runway!' Before my transmission was halfway over; the vehicle (ambulance style van); which was parked facing away from us; peeled out and quickly drove into the dirt/grass off the left of the runway. I do not think my transmission had anything to do with its movement unless the occupants were listening to our frequency. We were probably never closer than 1000 ft. to the vehicle; but if it had not moved we would likely have still been about 30 kts. by the time we overtook its position. It is unclear whether we could have gained enough separation to the right to avoid collision with the left engine had we deviated to the right of centerline without departing the runway surface to the right. When we cleared the runway at Taxiway A the vehicle was behind us; so I estimate its location to have been at approximately 4500 ft. from the approach end of Runway 14. Before shut down I debriefed with the Tower Controller. He confirmed we had been cleared to land but offered an excuse that he had told the vehicle to exit the runway but it had not complied. He promised to review the communications. The visibility was extremely clear and there are no obstructions to the Tower view of the runway area; and the Controller had never mentioned any traffic to us.The Tower Controller should not have cleared us to land with a vehicle on the runway; or should have canceled our clearance when it became apparent there would be a conflict. He likewise should have informed us of the traffic. The CA's steep approach compressing our timeline and focusing our attention was a contributing factor; but visually the yellow 'spot' truly looked two dimensional until the round out and flare for the distance we saw it at (I have excellent vision and do not need or wear glasses). Still; my cognitive disbelief that it *could* be a vehicle stopped me from directing a go-around at the last possible opportunity. But I believe our actions; perceptions and decisions were contributing rather than causal factors.Tower Controller should not give clearance to land with a vehicle on the runway. Tower Controller should cancel clearance or direct the go-around when a conflict is apparent. If I see anything that causes me confusionor still seems odd by the time of the flare I will direct or execute a go-around.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.