Narrative:

Night takeoff on inactive unlighted runway. Problem arose due to habit and lack of observation and perhaps lack of lighted sign at runway entrance indicating inactive status. When taxiing from FBO ramp, it's straight ahead to the end of runway 29L. This is my regular daytime habit. Runway 29R is a longer taxi, however runway 29R is the lighted runway. My lack of observation came into play when I failed to notice the absence of runway lights as I taxied into position or during takeoff. I remember thinking, it was unusually dark. I discovered my error when I returned for landing. With the tower closed after XA00, traffic is on 124.0, and it all indicated runway 24R, although one call was for runway 24L which was immediately corrected. Still I had no clue. However, I did follow the lead and called my approach points for runway 24R. Somewhere in the final 5 mi the dawn broke, and though I searched and hoped -- there were no lights on runway 29L. I accept full responsibility. However, some ground indication at runway 29L would be nice. Perceptions, judgements and human performance. I flew 5 yrs in the military, and just retired after 28 yrs with a major airline, accumulating 17000 hours. I truly believe private flying is more difficult with more potential hazards than airline flying. Airline flying does away with most of the traps. You're always IFR, under somebody's control, you have 1 or 2 other crew members to help you out of trouble, and basically everything is laid out for you. It's difficult to mess it up. I have flown private planes over the yrs, mostly C172's, but never often enough to feel totally comfortable. I'm always thinking there is something I don't know that I should, some self-set trap waiting to be tripped. That feeling, in aviation, should make one more alert to a red flag, and indeed I am. But the environment, private verses airline, is unfamiliar, and my 34 yrs and 17000 hours of accident free, violation free flying have allowed me to become complacent. Not a good thing with airplanes. So I must do some studying, work with an instructor, and observe more. I miss boeings, that was so easy.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LIGHT ACFT DEPARTED FROM A NON TWR FIELD ON AN UNLIT RWY AFTER DARK.

Narrative: NIGHT TKOF ON INACTIVE UNLIGHTED RWY. PROB AROSE DUE TO HABIT AND LACK OF OBSERVATION AND PERHAPS LACK OF LIGHTED SIGN AT RWY ENTRANCE INDICATING INACTIVE STATUS. WHEN TAXIING FROM FBO RAMP, IT'S STRAIGHT AHEAD TO THE END OF RWY 29L. THIS IS MY REGULAR DAYTIME HABIT. RWY 29R IS A LONGER TAXI, HOWEVER RWY 29R IS THE LIGHTED RWY. MY LACK OF OBSERVATION CAME INTO PLAY WHEN I FAILED TO NOTICE THE ABSENCE OF RWY LIGHTS AS I TAXIED INTO POS OR DURING TKOF. I REMEMBER THINKING, IT WAS UNUSUALLY DARK. I DISCOVERED MY ERROR WHEN I RETURNED FOR LNDG. WITH THE TWR CLOSED AFTER XA00, TFC IS ON 124.0, AND IT ALL INDICATED RWY 24R, ALTHOUGH ONE CALL WAS FOR RWY 24L WHICH WAS IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED. STILL I HAD NO CLUE. HOWEVER, I DID FOLLOW THE LEAD AND CALLED MY APCH POINTS FOR RWY 24R. SOMEWHERE IN THE FINAL 5 MI THE DAWN BROKE, AND THOUGH I SEARCHED AND HOPED -- THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ON RWY 29L. I ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY. HOWEVER, SOME GND INDICATION AT RWY 29L WOULD BE NICE. PERCEPTIONS, JUDGEMENTS AND HUMAN PERFORMANCE. I FLEW 5 YRS IN THE MIL, AND JUST RETIRED AFTER 28 YRS WITH A MAJOR AIRLINE, ACCUMULATING 17000 HRS. I TRULY BELIEVE PVT FLYING IS MORE DIFFICULT WITH MORE POTENTIAL HAZARDS THAN AIRLINE FLYING. AIRLINE FLYING DOES AWAY WITH MOST OF THE TRAPS. YOU'RE ALWAYS IFR, UNDER SOMEBODY'S CTL, YOU HAVE 1 OR 2 OTHER CREW MEMBERS TO HELP YOU OUT OF TROUBLE, AND BASICALLY EVERYTHING IS LAID OUT FOR YOU. IT'S DIFFICULT TO MESS IT UP. I HAVE FLOWN PVT PLANES OVER THE YRS, MOSTLY C172'S, BUT NEVER OFTEN ENOUGH TO FEEL TOTALLY COMFORTABLE. I'M ALWAYS THINKING THERE IS SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW THAT I SHOULD, SOME SELF-SET TRAP WAITING TO BE TRIPPED. THAT FEELING, IN AVIATION, SHOULD MAKE ONE MORE ALERT TO A RED FLAG, AND INDEED I AM. BUT THE ENVIRONMENT, PVT VERSES AIRLINE, IS UNFAMILIAR, AND MY 34 YRS AND 17000 HRS OF ACCIDENT FREE, VIOLATION FREE FLYING HAVE ALLOWED ME TO BECOME COMPLACENT. NOT A GOOD THING WITH AIRPLANES. SO I MUST DO SOME STUDYING, WORK WITH AN INSTRUCTOR, AND OBSERVE MORE. I MISS BOEINGS, THAT WAS SO EASY.

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.