GA small aircraft unauthorized wrong runway takeoff on closed, occupied runway at hrl.

Attributes
ACN	125301
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hrl
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 38 flight time total : 1448
ASRS Report	125301
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATC holding for traffic, aircraft in line, waiting time 1 hour on taxiway for takeoff clearance. Cleared for 35 departure. 31 closed but X not on the runway but laying in grass beside taxiway. After 1 hour wait tower clears for departure, I look up and see white bars on runway and start roll. At liftoff tower notices condition, informs pilot. Right turn implemented to heading of 050 degree. I noticed the directional gyro off on roll. Liftoff well clear of parked aircraft but it could have been avoided if: closed runway was clearly marked for ground operation as well as approaching from the air, pilot would have checked directional gyro after pulling on to runway rather than on the roll.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTH WRONG RWY TKOF ON CLOSED, OCCUPIED RWY AT HRL.

Narrative: ATC HOLDING FOR TFC, ACFT IN LINE, WAITING TIME 1 HR ON TXWY FOR TKOF CLRNC. CLRED FOR 35 DEP. 31 CLOSED BUT X NOT ON THE RWY BUT LAYING IN GRASS BESIDE TXWY. AFTER 1 HR WAIT TWR CLEARS FOR DEP, I LOOK UP AND SEE WHITE BARS ON RWY AND START ROLL. AT LIFTOFF TWR NOTICES CONDITION, INFORMS PLT. RIGHT TURN IMPLEMENTED TO HDG OF 050 DEG. I NOTICED THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO OFF ON ROLL. LIFTOFF WELL CLEAR OF PARKED ACFT BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF: CLOSED RWY WAS CLEARLY MARKED FOR GND OPERATION AS WELL AS APCHING FROM THE AIR, PLT WOULD HAVE CHECKED DIRECTIONAL GYRO AFTER PULLING ON TO RWY RATHER THAN ON THE ROLL.

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.