Unauthorized takeoff on closed runway.

Attributes
ACN	151241
Time
Date	199007
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : apc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 2031 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	151241
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was departing after a meal at airport restaurant tuned in ATIS. It said tower was closed so I then turned off radio west/O listening to rest of ATIS. Departed runway 24 returning to ccr. On crosswind leg noticed runway 18 lights on. Returned to ATIS and listened as they said active runway 18. All other runways notamed closed. The reason I chose runway 24 is by visibility indication of wind sock favored runway 24. I estimate the wind at 240/15 KTS. The wind sock was straight out. So on that information I chose runway 24. It would have probably been smart to listen to the full ATIS and do what it said. I also think since it was still very light (almost dusk) that I figured the runway was available for takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH TKOF ON CLOSED RWY.

Narrative: WAS DEPARTING AFTER A MEAL AT ARPT RESTAURANT TUNED IN ATIS. IT SAID TWR WAS CLOSED SO I THEN TURNED OFF RADIO W/O LISTENING TO REST OF ATIS. DEPARTED RWY 24 RETURNING TO CCR. ON XWIND LEG NOTICED RWY 18 LIGHTS ON. RETURNED TO ATIS AND LISTENED AS THEY SAID ACTIVE RWY 18. ALL OTHER RWYS NOTAMED CLOSED. THE REASON I CHOSE RWY 24 IS BY VIS INDICATION OF WIND SOCK FAVORED RWY 24. I ESTIMATE THE WIND AT 240/15 KTS. THE WIND SOCK WAS STRAIGHT OUT. SO ON THAT INFO I CHOSE RWY 24. IT WOULD HAVE PROBABLY BEEN SMART TO LISTEN TO THE FULL ATIS AND DO WHAT IT SAID. I ALSO THINK SINCE IT WAS STILL VERY LIGHT (ALMOST DUSK) THAT I FIGURED THE RWY WAS AVAILABLE FOR TKOF.

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.