Narrative:

On may, 1990, I listened to reno ATIS and obtained the departure information which included takeoff and lndgs on runway 16R and 16L. I then called clearance delivery and said VFR direct to truckee, requesting intersection microphone takeoff. At that time I should have requested takeoff on runway 34L, which I was thinking of and which I did not say. After contacting reno ground, I taxied to intersection microphone from FBO. After my run-up I called reno tower and advised I was ready for takeoff. Reno tower replied aircraft identification immediate takeoff on runway 16R approved. I departed on runway 34L. Reno tower cane back after I had reached 300' and said turn left immediately you have just departed runway 34L instead of 16R. I complied with towers instructions. There were no other aircraft involved. I do believe there was one on a 5 mi final for runway 16R. I remained on tower frequency until told to contact departure control. After radar contact was lost departure control advised so and said frequency change approved. I continued on to truckee and landed. What I believe caused the problem was my initial intensions of requesting takeoff from runway 34L which I did not do. And by not listening carefully enough to the controllers directions. Other contributing factors were that I had notes of other reno ATIS information written down which were on the same paper as the ATIS information for this day. To prevent this from happening again I will have a current map of airport surface maps on me at the time of the flight. I have thrown out all other ATIS information I had written down and will not be thinking of requesting other runways other than those advised of in the ATIS information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA REQUESTED AN INTERSECTION DEP THEN MADE TKOF IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

Narrative: ON MAY, 1990, I LISTENED TO RENO ATIS AND OBTAINED THE DEP INFO WHICH INCLUDED TKOF AND LNDGS ON RWY 16R AND 16L. I THEN CALLED CLRNC DELIVERY AND SAID VFR DIRECT TO TRUCKEE, REQUESTING INTXN MIKE TKOF. AT THAT TIME I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED TKOF ON RWY 34L, WHICH I WAS THINKING OF AND WHICH I DID NOT SAY. AFTER CONTACTING RENO GND, I TAXIED TO INTXN MIKE FROM FBO. AFTER MY RUN-UP I CALLED RENO TWR AND ADVISED I WAS READY FOR TKOF. RENO TWR REPLIED ACFT ID IMMEDIATE TKOF ON RWY 16R APPROVED. I DEPARTED ON RWY 34L. RENO TWR CANE BACK AFTER I HAD REACHED 300' AND SAID TURN L IMMEDIATELY YOU HAVE JUST DEPARTED RWY 34L INSTEAD OF 16R. I COMPLIED WITH TWRS INSTRUCTIONS. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT INVOLVED. I DO BELIEVE THERE WAS ONE ON A 5 MI FINAL FOR RWY 16R. I REMAINED ON TWR FREQ UNTIL TOLD TO CONTACT DEP CTL. AFTER RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST DEP CTL ADVISED SO AND SAID FREQ CHANGE APPROVED. I CONTINUED ON TO TRUCKEE AND LANDED. WHAT I BELIEVE CAUSED THE PROB WAS MY INITIAL INTENSIONS OF REQUESTING TKOF FROM RWY 34L WHICH I DID NOT DO. AND BY NOT LISTENING CAREFULLY ENOUGH TO THE CTLRS DIRECTIONS. OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THAT I HAD NOTES OF OTHER RENO ATIS INFO WRITTEN DOWN WHICH WERE ON THE SAME PAPER AS THE ATIS INFO FOR THIS DAY. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN I WILL HAVE A CURRENT MAP OF ARPT SURFACE MAPS ON ME AT THE TIME OF THE FLT. I HAVE THROWN OUT ALL OTHER ATIS INFO I HAD WRITTEN DOWN AND WILL NOT BE THINKING OF REQUESTING OTHER RWYS OTHER THAN THOSE ADVISED OF IN THE ATIS INFO.

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.