Narrative:

Instructed by ground control to taxi to runway 16 for the intersection departure. Completed runup prior to intersection 16 and 13. Requested takeoff from tower. Granted takeoff runway 16. Departed airport on runway 13 instead of 16. After lift-off tower informed me that I had used the wrong runway for departure. WX conditions, rain and fog, approximately 1200' ceiling, 3+ mi visibility. In taxi to runway 16 intersection, you have to cross runway 13. I held short of runway 13/16 intersection for runup, then when cleared for departure by tower, I taxied onto runway 13 thinking it was 16 and departed. No correction or response was received from the tower about this error until I was airborne. No visibility signs were noted at the intersection showing runway 16/13 to my knowledge, or I did not see them. This flight was a biennial flight review being given to me by another CFI. I have been to this airport many times, but never have been requested to taxi for an intersection departure. I believe the runway lights had been turned on (not positive) on runway 13 which may have compounded my action. I feel the controller could have been more helpful in directing me across runway 13 to runway 16, and I should have been more aware of my position on the airfield. No other aircraft was in the pattern at the incident. After takeoff and departing downwind, a helicopter was entering the airspace from the east. (I was the only aircraft activity at the time of this incident.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA WRONG RWY TKOF AT SLM.

Narrative: INSTRUCTED BY GND CTL TO TAXI TO RWY 16 FOR THE INTXN DEP. COMPLETED RUNUP PRIOR TO INTXN 16 AND 13. REQUESTED TKOF FROM TWR. GRANTED TKOF RWY 16. DEPARTED ARPT ON RWY 13 INSTEAD OF 16. AFTER LIFT-OFF TWR INFORMED ME THAT I HAD USED THE WRONG RWY FOR DEP. WX CONDITIONS, RAIN AND FOG, APPROX 1200' CEILING, 3+ MI VISIBILITY. IN TAXI TO RWY 16 INTXN, YOU HAVE TO CROSS RWY 13. I HELD SHORT OF RWY 13/16 INTXN FOR RUNUP, THEN WHEN CLRED FOR DEP BY TWR, I TAXIED ONTO RWY 13 THINKING IT WAS 16 AND DEPARTED. NO CORRECTION OR RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED FROM THE TWR ABOUT THIS ERROR UNTIL I WAS AIRBORNE. NO VIS SIGNS WERE NOTED AT THE INTXN SHOWING RWY 16/13 TO MY KNOWLEDGE, OR I DID NOT SEE THEM. THIS FLT WAS A BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW BEING GIVEN TO ME BY ANOTHER CFI. I HAVE BEEN TO THIS ARPT MANY TIMES, BUT NEVER HAVE BEEN REQUESTED TO TAXI FOR AN INTXN DEP. I BELIEVE THE RWY LIGHTS HAD BEEN TURNED ON (NOT POSITIVE) ON RWY 13 WHICH MAY HAVE COMPOUNDED MY ACTION. I FEEL THE CTLR COULD HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL IN DIRECTING ME ACROSS RWY 13 TO RWY 16, AND I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AWARE OF MY POS ON THE AIRFIELD. NO OTHER ACFT WAS IN THE PATTERN AT THE INCIDENT. AFTER TKOF AND DEPARTING DOWNWIND, A HELI WAS ENTERING THE AIRSPACE FROM THE E. (I WAS THE ONLY ACFT ACTIVITY AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT.)

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.