Corp aircraft aligns with runway edge lights instead of centerline lights.

Attributes
ACN	171325
Time
Date	199102
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : san
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3900 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	171325
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a night takeoff on runway 27, the captain apparently mistook the right side runway edge lights for the runway centerline lights. While my attention was diverted inside the cockpit setting takeoff power and scanning the engine INS, the captain began the takeoff roll along the right edge of the runway. He made a left turn during the roll to correct the error and the takeoff was continued. Runway 27 is 200' wide and the first 1800' is a displaced threshold. The initial portion of the right edge lighting uses the flush type lights, which in this case were mistaken for the similar looking centerline lights. I suspect that the tower had the edge lighting set too low intensity and the captain was clearly experiencing some sort of tunnel vision effect as he taxied onto the runway. Obviously, if I had been monitoring the captain's alignment with the runway, the incident might not have occurred. However, I also believe the captain had an unwillingness to express any uncertainty that he felt about this takeoff. Finding the runway centerline is usually a simple task. Personality factors can prevent a pilot from admitting that he's confused. Many runways use green lights to lead aircraft from the runway centerline to txwys during landing rollout. Perhaps runway 27 needs green lights that led from the taxiway to the centerline. (Just for clarification, we entered the runway from the north side. Right side = north side.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP ACFT ALIGNS WITH RWY EDGE LIGHTS INSTEAD OF CENTERLINE LIGHTS.

Narrative: DURING A NIGHT TKOF ON RWY 27, THE CAPT APPARENTLY MISTOOK THE RIGHT SIDE RWY EDGE LIGHTS FOR THE RWY CENTERLINE LIGHTS. WHILE MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED INSIDE THE COCKPIT SETTING TKOF PWR AND SCANNING THE ENG INS, THE CAPT BEGAN THE TKOF ROLL ALONG THE RIGHT EDGE OF THE RWY. HE MADE A LEFT TURN DURING THE ROLL TO CORRECT THE ERROR AND THE TKOF WAS CONTINUED. RWY 27 IS 200' WIDE AND THE FIRST 1800' IS A DISPLACED THRESHOLD. THE INITIAL PORTION OF THE RIGHT EDGE LIGHTING USES THE FLUSH TYPE LIGHTS, WHICH IN THIS CASE WERE MISTAKEN FOR THE SIMILAR LOOKING CENTERLINE LIGHTS. I SUSPECT THAT THE TWR HAD THE EDGE LIGHTING SET TOO LOW INTENSITY AND THE CAPT WAS CLEARLY EXPERIENCING SOME SORT OF TUNNEL VISION EFFECT AS HE TAXIED ONTO THE RWY. OBVIOUSLY, IF I HAD BEEN MONITORING THE CAPT'S ALIGNMENT WITH THE RWY, THE INCIDENT MIGHT NOT HAVE OCCURRED. HOWEVER, I ALSO BELIEVE THE CAPT HAD AN UNWILLINGNESS TO EXPRESS ANY UNCERTAINTY THAT HE FELT ABOUT THIS TKOF. FINDING THE RWY CENTERLINE IS USUALLY A SIMPLE TASK. PERSONALITY FACTORS CAN PREVENT A PLT FROM ADMITTING THAT HE'S CONFUSED. MANY RWYS USE GREEN LIGHTS TO LEAD ACFT FROM THE RWY CENTERLINE TO TXWYS DURING LNDG ROLLOUT. PERHAPS RWY 27 NEEDS GREEN LIGHTS THAT LED FROM THE TXWY TO THE CENTERLINE. (JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WE ENTERED THE RWY FROM THE N SIDE. RIGHT SIDE = N SIDE.)

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.