Narrative:

I keep my newly acquired small aircraft at stead airport (4SD). I went out to fly a local training/pleasure flight, by myself. I had watched aviation WX that morning, and the skies were clear, so I did not call FSS for a briefing. Unicom is unmonitored at stead. There are crossing runways available, 8/26, 14/32. 8/26 are the most commonly used runways, due mostly to the prevailing e-w winds. After start-up, I looked at the windsock, it indicated about 5-7 KTS favoring takeoff on runway 8. Runway 8/26 is 7600' and is raised in the center, so that from either end you cannot see the other end until about halfway down the runway. I taxied to the run-up, finished my preflight check, didn't hear any traffic on the radio, turned a 360 degree on the ground to check the pattern, announced myself on the radio and started my takeoff roll. The run-up zone is about 150' down the runway from the touchdown zone, therefore a pilot does not see the runway number (8) unless he back-taxies from the run-up zone (see diagram). I started my takeoff, and just as I rotated and began to lift off, I could see a truck on the runway with men around it. The truck was well over 4000' away from me, so I did no evasive maneuver. After I passed the truck (at about 300' AGL), I saw the orange X on the 26. I turned downwind and saw the X on the 8. Apparently the runway was closed for pavement repair. I would have avoided this inadvertent transgression if I had checked NOTAMS at FSS, or if I had back-taxied to use the full length of the runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FAILS TO CHECK NOTAMS, TAKES OFF ON CLOSED RWY AT 4SD.

Narrative: I KEEP MY NEWLY ACQUIRED SMA AT STEAD ARPT (4SD). I WENT OUT TO FLY A LCL TRAINING/PLEASURE FLT, BY MYSELF. I HAD WATCHED AVIATION WX THAT MORNING, AND THE SKIES WERE CLEAR, SO I DID NOT CALL FSS FOR A BRIEFING. UNICOM IS UNMONITORED AT STEAD. THERE ARE XING RWYS AVAILABLE, 8/26, 14/32. 8/26 ARE THE MOST COMMONLY USED RWYS, DUE MOSTLY TO THE PREVAILING E-W WINDS. AFTER START-UP, I LOOKED AT THE WINDSOCK, IT INDICATED ABOUT 5-7 KTS FAVORING TKOF ON RWY 8. RWY 8/26 IS 7600' AND IS RAISED IN THE CENTER, SO THAT FROM EITHER END YOU CANNOT SEE THE OTHER END UNTIL ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE RWY. I TAXIED TO THE RUN-UP, FINISHED MY PREFLT CHECK, DIDN'T HEAR ANY TFC ON THE RADIO, TURNED A 360 DEG ON THE GND TO CHECK THE PATTERN, ANNOUNCED MYSELF ON THE RADIO AND STARTED MY TKOF ROLL. THE RUN-UP ZONE IS ABOUT 150' DOWN THE RWY FROM THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE, THEREFORE A PLT DOES NOT SEE THE RWY NUMBER (8) UNLESS HE BACK-TAXIES FROM THE RUN-UP ZONE (SEE DIAGRAM). I STARTED MY TKOF, AND JUST AS I ROTATED AND BEGAN TO LIFT OFF, I COULD SEE A TRUCK ON THE RWY WITH MEN AROUND IT. THE TRUCK WAS WELL OVER 4000' AWAY FROM ME, SO I DID NO EVASIVE MANEUVER. AFTER I PASSED THE TRUCK (AT ABOUT 300' AGL), I SAW THE ORANGE X ON THE 26. I TURNED DOWNWIND AND SAW THE X ON THE 8. APPARENTLY THE RWY WAS CLOSED FOR PAVEMENT REPAIR. I WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS INADVERTENT TRANSGRESSION IF I HAD CHECKED NOTAMS AT FSS, OR IF I HAD BACK-TAXIED TO USE THE FULL LENGTH OF THE RWY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.