Air carrier large transport flight crew attempts taxiway takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	166129
Time
Date	199012
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	166129
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff on runway 27L or 27R at phl. The captain pushed up the throttles as I read the mechanic checklist and the first officer turned on the transponder and DME. The captain turned onto the parallel taxiway as he pushed up the throttles and told the first officer 'your aircraft.' (it was the first officer's takeoff and leg). The first officer looked up and immediately pulled the throttles to idle saying 'something doesn't look right here.' simultaneously, phl tower called and said cancel takeoff clearance. The captain then asked for a 180 degree turn on the taxiway approximately 1000-15-- down the taxiway. The 180 degree turn was approved after another aircraft was cleared for takeoff. We were subsequently given position and hold for takeoff with an uneventful takeoff. The first officer was the first one to notice the green centerline lighting and the absence of the white runway edge lights. I feel the captain would not have become confused had the runway hold line been lighted with red and white in pavement lights.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT FLC ATTEMPTS TXWY TKOF.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 27L OR 27R AT PHL. THE CAPT PUSHED UP THE THROTTLES AS I READ THE MECH CHKLIST AND THE F/O TURNED ON THE XPONDER AND DME. THE CAPT TURNED ONTO THE PARALLEL TXWY AS HE PUSHED UP THE THROTTLES AND TOLD THE F/O 'YOUR ACFT.' (IT WAS THE F/O'S TKOF AND LEG). THE F/O LOOKED UP AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE THROTTLES TO IDLE SAYING 'SOMETHING DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT HERE.' SIMULTANEOUSLY, PHL TWR CALLED AND SAID CANCEL TKOF CLRNC. THE CAPT THEN ASKED FOR A 180 DEG TURN ON THE TXWY APPROX 1000-15-- DOWN THE TXWY. THE 180 DEG TURN WAS APPROVED AFTER ANOTHER ACFT WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY GIVEN POS AND HOLD FOR TKOF WITH AN UNEVENTFUL TKOF. THE F/O WAS THE FIRST ONE TO NOTICE THE GREEN CTRLINE LIGHTING AND THE ABSENCE OF THE WHITE RWY EDGE LIGHTS. I FEEL THE CAPT WOULD NOT HAVE BECOME CONFUSED HAD THE RWY HOLD LINE BEEN LIGHTED WITH RED AND WHITE IN PAVEMENT LIGHTS.

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.