Narrative:

I prepared for a night flight along the lakefront with a couple of friends. I received a WX briefing and ATIS. Contacted mdw ground and clearance and was cleared to runway 22L. I was at quebec taxiway 22L and completed my runup. At this point I contacted the tower and informed them I was ready for takeoff. They cleared me to cross runway 22L to 22F. The quebec taxiway does not cross directly and I didn't know this so when I saw grass in front of me I turned around contacted the tower and returned to my original starting point. The tower then took me to the departure end of runway 22L and then cleared me to cross runway 22R. This area was poorly lit and I saw a hold line with a sign saying 22R so I stopped at this point. I was then given clearance to takeoff and I believed I was on runway 22R so I proceeded with my takeoff. The aircraft began to lift off and I thought to myself that something didn't seem right and I remembered my flight instrument always telling me to fly the plane first as I made my turnout to the heading I was given, the tower contacted me and asked if I knew that I had just taken off on the north ramp. I stated no I didn't. They then asked me to contact the tower on my return and I did so talking to supervisor. I believe certain things contributed to this incident. Confusion originally at the quebec taxiway. Poor lighting and signs. The controllers generally give a taxi into position and hold before giving clearance for takeoff. On night in question I was given clearance for takeoff while not in proper position.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT MAKES TKOF FROM RAMP.

Narrative: I PREPARED FOR A NIGHT FLT ALONG THE LAKEFRONT WITH A COUPLE OF FRIENDS. I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING AND ATIS. CONTACTED MDW GND AND CLRNC AND WAS CLRED TO RWY 22L. I WAS AT QUEBEC TXWY 22L AND COMPLETED MY RUNUP. AT THIS POINT I CONTACTED THE TWR AND INFORMED THEM I WAS READY FOR TKOF. THEY CLRED ME TO CROSS RWY 22L TO 22F. THE QUEBEC TXWY DOES NOT CROSS DIRECTLY AND I DIDN'T KNOW THIS SO WHEN I SAW GRASS IN FRONT OF ME I TURNED AROUND CONTACTED THE TWR AND RETURNED TO MY ORIGINAL STARTING POINT. THE TWR THEN TOOK ME TO THE DEP END OF RWY 22L AND THEN CLRED ME TO CROSS RWY 22R. THIS AREA WAS POORLY LIT AND I SAW A HOLD LINE WITH A SIGN SAYING 22R SO I STOPPED AT THIS POINT. I WAS THEN GIVEN CLRNC TO TKOF AND I BELIEVED I WAS ON RWY 22R SO I PROCEEDED WITH MY TKOF. THE ACFT BEGAN TO LIFT OFF AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF THAT SOMETHING DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT AND I REMEMBERED MY FLT INSTR ALWAYS TELLING ME TO FLY THE PLANE FIRST AS I MADE MY TURNOUT TO THE HDG I WAS GIVEN, THE TWR CONTACTED ME AND ASKED IF I KNEW THAT I HAD JUST TAKEN OFF ON THE N RAMP. I STATED NO I DIDN'T. THEY THEN ASKED ME TO CONTACT THE TWR ON MY RETURN AND I DID SO TALKING TO SUPVR. I BELIEVE CERTAIN THINGS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT. CONFUSION ORIGINALLY AT THE QUEBEC TXWY. POOR LIGHTING AND SIGNS. THE CTLRS GENERALLY GIVE A TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD BEFORE GIVING CLRNC FOR TKOF. ON NIGHT IN QUESTION I WAS GIVEN CLRNC FOR TKOF WHILE NOT IN PROPER POS.

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.