Narrative:

Hou ground cleared us from gate to runway 12R via the ramp and D taxiway to follow an small aircraft. The small aircraft stopped just short of runway 17 to check something out. We were at point where D is depicted on the hobby airport chart 10-9 between runway 12L and 17. We were then cleared to 12R via the red line. As I was intercepting the red line the tower cleared us for takeoff. We completed our checklist and I turned onto runway 17 by mistake (I usually look at my heading at this time, but didn't this time). I started the takeoff roll and about 90 KTS the first officer said he was wondering about the equipment at the other end of the runway. Many thoughts occurred at this time. It would have been a disaster to abort. My only thought was to save the airplane. I added power and rotated early (probably 5 KTS). We climbed out and were switched to departure control. We discussed the situation and the first officer called back to the tower to see if there was a problem with the takeoff. They said we took off on 17. First officer said yes, 'but did you have a problem with that?' tower said to 'have the captain call back after reaching destination' and gave us the phone #. I went to atl and landed. Called hobby tower supervisor. She asked me if I checked the aircraft for damage because a workman thought we may have hit the tail cone on something (that was the first I had heard of this--there was no bump or vibration). As our conversation continued I was told that this mistake happens at times in that area of the airport, but they didn't catch me. After leaving the phone I checked the aircraft, and yes, there was a small crease in the lower aft fuselage. After thinking through many times how I made this mistake: how did this happen? How can this be prevented in the future?, my reflections are: 1) I did refer to chart 10-9 for my taxi to 12 right via D, but then flipped to the 12R plate in case we had to return after takeoff. 2) we were approximately 45 mins late because of WX in atl. 3) unfamiliarity with hobby. 4) perhaps the early takeoff clearance before crossing runway 17. 5) maybe a different takeoff clearance wording would have prevented me from making this mistake, such as, after crossing 17, cleared for takeoff on 12R. 6) maybe different markings of some type. 7) my usual heading indication check upon reaching the runway was omitted this time and I don't know why. 8) I also knew the last 2200' of runway 17 was closed via the NOTAMS. This is a unique situation at this airport and hopefully something can be done to prevent another potential disaster from occurring.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG MADE TKOF FROM WRONG RWY HITTING TAIL ON CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AT RWY END.

Narrative: HOU GND CLRED US FROM GATE TO RWY 12R VIA THE RAMP AND D TXWY TO FOLLOW AN SMA. THE SMA STOPPED JUST SHORT OF RWY 17 TO CHK SOMETHING OUT. WE WERE AT POINT WHERE D IS DEPICTED ON THE HOBBY ARPT CHART 10-9 BTWN RWY 12L AND 17. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO 12R VIA THE RED LINE. AS I WAS INTERCEPTING THE RED LINE THE TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. WE COMPLETED OUR CHKLIST AND I TURNED ONTO RWY 17 BY MISTAKE (I USUALLY LOOK AT MY HDG AT THIS TIME, BUT DIDN'T THIS TIME). I STARTED THE TKOF ROLL AND ABOUT 90 KTS THE F/O SAID HE WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE EQUIP AT THE OTHER END OF THE RWY. MANY THOUGHTS OCCURRED AT THIS TIME. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER TO ABORT. MY ONLY THOUGHT WAS TO SAVE THE AIRPLANE. I ADDED PWR AND ROTATED EARLY (PROBABLY 5 KTS). WE CLBED OUT AND WERE SWITCHED TO DEP CTL. WE DISCUSSED THE SITUATION AND THE F/O CALLED BACK TO THE TWR TO SEE IF THERE WAS A PROB WITH THE TKOF. THEY SAID WE TOOK OFF ON 17. F/O SAID YES, 'BUT DID YOU HAVE A PROB WITH THAT?' TWR SAID TO 'HAVE THE CAPT CALL BACK AFTER REACHING DEST' AND GAVE US THE PHONE #. I WENT TO ATL AND LANDED. CALLED HOBBY TWR SUPVR. SHE ASKED ME IF I CHKED THE ACFT FOR DAMAGE BECAUSE A WORKMAN THOUGHT WE MAY HAVE HIT THE TAIL CONE ON SOMETHING (THAT WAS THE FIRST I HAD HEARD OF THIS--THERE WAS NO BUMP OR VIBRATION). AS OUR CONVERSATION CONTINUED I WAS TOLD THAT THIS MISTAKE HAPPENS AT TIMES IN THAT AREA OF THE ARPT, BUT THEY DIDN'T CATCH ME. AFTER LEAVING THE PHONE I CHKED THE ACFT, AND YES, THERE WAS A SMALL CREASE IN THE LOWER AFT FUSELAGE. AFTER THINKING THROUGH MANY TIMES HOW I MADE THIS MISTAKE: HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? HOW CAN THIS BE PREVENTED IN THE FUTURE?, MY REFLECTIONS ARE: 1) I DID REFER TO CHART 10-9 FOR MY TAXI TO 12 R VIA D, BUT THEN FLIPPED TO THE 12R PLATE IN CASE WE HAD TO RETURN AFTER TKOF. 2) WE WERE APPROX 45 MINS LATE BECAUSE OF WX IN ATL. 3) UNFAMILIARITY WITH HOBBY. 4) PERHAPS THE EARLY TKOF CLRNC BEFORE XING RWY 17. 5) MAYBE A DIFFERENT TKOF CLRNC WORDING WOULD HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM MAKING THIS MISTAKE, SUCH AS, AFTER XING 17, CLRED FOR TKOF ON 12R. 6) MAYBE DIFFERENT MARKINGS OF SOME TYPE. 7) MY USUAL HDG INDICATION CHK UPON REACHING THE RWY WAS OMITTED THIS TIME AND I DON'T KNOW WHY. 8) I ALSO KNEW THE LAST 2200' OF RWY 17 WAS CLOSED VIA THE NOTAMS. THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION AT THIS ARPT AND HOPEFULLY SOMETHING CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT ANOTHER POTENTIAL DISASTER FROM OCCURRING.

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.