Narrative:

Myself along with another pilot (private rated) filed an IFR flight plan to mai (home base) WX at departure field was VFR. Field of departure was atl. Clearance to taxi was as follows 'taxi to runway 8R, hold short of 8L taxiway charlie. After holding at 8L, we then proceeded to taxi to 8R via a short turn on delta taxi then right to bravo. Taxi was an extended one. Due to just picking up a friend who had flown in from holland, there was a moderate amount of conversation. I was following progress of taxi on airport diagram. Taxi speed was slow due to private pilot on controls. Cockpit lighting was excessively dim. I asked for a flashlight to use which was also very dim. Upon arriving at end of runways 8L on bravo taxiway, atl tower asked us if we were 'ready to go.' I answered affirmative, we were at hold line of 8L when tower cleared us for takeoff. I visualized the aircraft on final, being atl it is not uncommon to see. Landing lights out on final when departing. We then rolled out, lined up and departed. I think the reason for departing on 8L mainly be attributed to an episode of mild confusion in the cockpit. Unfamiliarity of airport. Similar runway numbers. I think we had right turns on our brain and turned right on 8L instead of left to 8R. Mistake was quickly realized when air carrier (heavy) questioned tower as to why we were on runway. I immediately started to turn right after takeoff as cleared to 160 degree to avoid conflict. Air carrier was ordered to go around, 'when tower realized' what had happened. Tower was obviously not seeing what was taking place. I understand completely what happened and realized that my short episode of 'rectal-cranial inversion' was the major contributing factor. I have been flying many yrs and this is the first time I have committed such a mistake of this magnitude. Luckily there was no near miss or conflict close call as could have been. I have learned my lesson to keep my mind solely on taxi directions, procedures, ATC, etc, instead of 'talking with friends.' it was a terribly embarrassing situation after it was over, as I realized what the air carrier crew must have thought. I will sincerely strive to work hard not to make such a mistake in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA DEPARTS WRONG RWY, FORCES ACR GAR.

Narrative: MYSELF ALONG WITH ANOTHER PLT (PVT RATED) FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN TO MAI (HOME BASE) WX AT DEP FIELD WAS VFR. FIELD OF DEP WAS ATL. CLRNC TO TAXI WAS AS FOLLOWS 'TAXI TO RWY 8R, HOLD SHORT OF 8L TAXIWAY CHARLIE. AFTER HOLDING AT 8L, WE THEN PROCEEDED TO TAXI TO 8R VIA A SHORT TURN ON DELTA TAXI THEN R TO BRAVO. TAXI WAS AN EXTENDED ONE. DUE TO JUST PICKING UP A FRIEND WHO HAD FLOWN IN FROM HOLLAND, THERE WAS A MODERATE AMOUNT OF CONVERSATION. I WAS FOLLOWING PROGRESS OF TAXI ON ARPT DIAGRAM. TAXI SPD WAS SLOW DUE TO PVT PLT ON CTLS. COCKPIT LIGHTING WAS EXCESSIVELY DIM. I ASKED FOR A FLASHLIGHT TO USE WHICH WAS ALSO VERY DIM. UPON ARRIVING AT END OF RWYS 8L ON BRAVO TAXIWAY, ATL TWR ASKED US IF WE WERE 'READY TO GO.' I ANSWERED AFFIRMATIVE, WE WERE AT HOLD LINE OF 8L WHEN TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. I VISUALIZED THE ACFT ON FINAL, BEING ATL IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO SEE. LNDG LIGHTS OUT ON FINAL WHEN DEPARTING. WE THEN ROLLED OUT, LINED UP AND DEPARTED. I THINK THE REASON FOR DEPARTING ON 8L MAINLY BE ATTRIBUTED TO AN EPISODE OF MILD CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT. UNFAMILIARITY OF ARPT. SIMILAR RWY NUMBERS. I THINK WE HAD R TURNS ON OUR BRAIN AND TURNED R ON 8L INSTEAD OF L TO 8R. MISTAKE WAS QUICKLY REALIZED WHEN ACR (HVY) QUESTIONED TWR AS TO WHY WE WERE ON RWY. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO TURN R AFTER TKOF AS CLRED TO 160 DEG TO AVOID CONFLICT. ACR WAS ORDERED TO GO AROUND, 'WHEN TWR REALIZED' WHAT HAD HAPPENED. TWR WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT SEEING WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE. I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY WHAT HAPPENED AND REALIZED THAT MY SHORT EPISODE OF 'RECTAL-CRANIAL INVERSION' WAS THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. I HAVE BEEN FLYING MANY YRS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE COMMITTED SUCH A MISTAKE OF THIS MAGNITUDE. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO NEAR MISS OR CONFLICT CLOSE CALL AS COULD HAVE BEEN. I HAVE LEARNED MY LESSON TO KEEP MY MIND SOLELY ON TAXI DIRECTIONS, PROCS, ATC, ETC, INSTEAD OF 'TALKING WITH FRIENDS.' IT WAS A TERRIBLY EMBARRASSING SITUATION AFTER IT WAS OVER, AS I REALIZED WHAT THE ACR CREW MUST HAVE THOUGHT. I WILL SINCERELY STRIVE TO WORK HARD NOT TO MAKE SUCH A MISTAKE IN THE FUTURE.

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.