I'm not Mesa bashing at all (although I don't like Mesa anymore than the next guy). I'm just trying to figure out how they could miss an aircraft on their runway in broad daylight and good visibility? The aircraft couldn't have been more than 4 or 5 thousand feet down the runway. If it was at night, then it makes total sense how they couldn't see the other aircraft. It's kinda like having a green light to cross an intersection. You may be right and legal to cross with the green, but you still have to drive defensively. Just because you have a takeoff clearance doesn't mean it's safe to takeoff. It just seems weird that the crew couldn't see the other aircraft prior to starting their takeoff roll. Kudos to the crew for getting out of the situation, but how did they get into it to begin with? Asking questions is how we all become better pilots.

***Edit*** Looks like it was dusk. The article says the time was 1945. I wonder if the Cessna even had his nav and strobe lights on.