Narrative:

At XA40 we contacted houston center on 133.65 for IFR clearance to dfw. (Lft tower does not open until XB00). We left the gate at XA45 (scheduled departure), and reported on 118.5 (lft CTAF) of our taxiing to runway 21L. (Windsock appeared to 'favor' 21L). Upon finishing cockpit checks, we called houston center again to receive 'released for departure' clearance. After receiving 'release' we reported our takeoff on 21L at lft on 118.5, at XA50 (local). Upon taxiing onto runway 21L, we illuminated all external lights and then proceeded to depart. As we climbed through 400 ft AGL the first officer saw an aircraft turn it's lights on. This aircraft was on the opposite end of our runway. (On the numbers of 3R). We're not sure if the aircraft was already on the runway when we began our takeoff, or if he saw us 'break ground' and taxied onto the runway as we climbed out. Which ever, neither one of us knew about the other. We made our right turn on course at 400 ft AGL (normal procedure not evasive). We passed at least 600 ft vertically and approximately 1500 ft horizontal. Several mins later houston center asked if we had used the CTAF at lft. He later informed us that a twin small aircraft had departed lft VFR, picked up his IFR clearance in-flight, and said he did not hear us make any advisory reports at lft. He apparently was the aircraft on the runway. Houston center also said that he (the controller) had 'worked' him out of lft on 127.9. Factors: lft tower was closed. CTAF was 118.5 and houston center 133.65, both are published on the commercial charts. It was still dark. If other aircraft was on runway while we were on our takeoff roll, he did not have any visible lights illuminated. Other aircraft departing VFR then picking up IFR clearance when airborne. Though legal, it defeats the purpose of filing IFR flight plans. Only 1 aircraft would be released at a time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT MADE A TKOF OVER THE TOP OF AN SMA IN POS ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE RWY.

Narrative: AT XA40 WE CONTACTED HOUSTON CENTER ON 133.65 FOR IFR CLRNC TO DFW. (LFT TWR DOES NOT OPEN UNTIL XB00). WE LEFT THE GATE AT XA45 (SCHEDULED DEP), AND RPTED ON 118.5 (LFT CTAF) OF OUR TAXIING TO RWY 21L. (WINDSOCK APPEARED TO 'FAVOR' 21L). UPON FINISHING COCKPIT CHKS, WE CALLED HOUSTON CENTER AGAIN TO RECEIVE 'RELEASED FOR DEP' CLRNC. AFTER RECEIVING 'RELEASE' WE RPTED OUR TKOF ON 21L AT LFT ON 118.5, AT XA50 (LCL). UPON TAXIING ONTO RWY 21L, WE ILLUMINATED ALL EXTERNAL LIGHTS AND THEN PROCEEDED TO DEPART. AS WE CLBED THROUGH 400 FT AGL THE FO SAW AN ACFT TURN IT'S LIGHTS ON. THIS ACFT WAS ON THE OPPOSITE END OF OUR RWY. (ON THE NUMBERS OF 3R). WE'RE NOT SURE IF THE ACFT WAS ALREADY ON THE RWY WHEN WE BEGAN OUR TKOF, OR IF HE SAW US 'BREAK GND' AND TAXIED ONTO THE RWY AS WE CLBED OUT. WHICH EVER, NEITHER ONE OF US KNEW ABOUT THE OTHER. WE MADE OUR R TURN ON COURSE AT 400 FT AGL (NORMAL PROC NOT EVASIVE). WE PASSED AT LEAST 600 FT VERTICALLY AND APPROX 1500 FT HORIZ. SEVERAL MINS LATER HOUSTON CENTER ASKED IF WE HAD USED THE CTAF AT LFT. HE LATER INFORMED US THAT A TWIN SMA HAD DEPARTED LFT VFR, PICKED UP HIS IFR CLRNC INFLT, AND SAID HE DID NOT HEAR US MAKE ANY ADVISORY RPTS AT LFT. HE APPARENTLY WAS THE ACFT ON THE RWY. HOUSTON CENTER ALSO SAID THAT HE (THE CTLR) HAD 'WORKED' HIM OUT OF LFT ON 127.9. FACTORS: LFT TWR WAS CLOSED. CTAF WAS 118.5 AND HOUSTON CENTER 133.65, BOTH ARE PUBLISHED ON THE COMMERCIAL CHARTS. IT WAS STILL DARK. IF OTHER ACFT WAS ON RWY WHILE WE WERE ON OUR TKOF ROLL, HE DID NOT HAVE ANY VISIBLE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. OTHER ACFT DEPARTING VFR THEN PICKING UP IFR CLRNC WHEN AIRBORNE. THOUGH LEGAL, IT DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF FILING IFR FLT PLANS. ONLY 1 ACFT WOULD BE RELEASED AT A TIME.

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.