Narrative:

At night on dec/xa/95 at cle hopkins international. After departing the gate at concourse, a taxi clearance was given to runway 23L for takeoff. The txwys and many of the taxiway and runway signs were obscured by snow. When approaching the runway, takeoff clearance was issued. We were doing the taxi checklist at the time and went right into the takeoff checklist. We were rushing to complete everything but our haste caused me to commit an error I will never forget. I turned onto the runway and advanced power for takeoff and started takeoff roll when the tower canceled our takeoff clearance and told us we were on runway 28 not runway 23L. The takeoff was aborted at a low speed (30-40 KTS) and we were cleared to back taxi on runway 28 for takeoff on runway 23R. I had inadvertently thought when I came off taxiway 'J' that I was on runway 23L. Runway 28's lights were on, the runway was clear, and the signs were obscured. I am most grateful to the tower controller for his alertness. As the captain, this incident was my fault as I allowed myself to be rushed at an airport I was unfamiliar with and I did not xchk my heading after lining up on the runway. It is an event that has taught me a valuable lesson, even after 19000 hours of flying. Do not allow yourself to be rushed, especially if conditions are not ideal and/or you are not familiar with the airport. Always xchk your compass heading with runway heading after lining up for takeoff. One other contributing factor, we were 3 hours late and when you're late you tend to rush to try to rectify a situation you really have no control over. The min you save may very well not be worth it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC ASSIGNED CLRNC TO TKOF ON RWY 23L. LINED UP AND COMMENCED TKOF ON RWY 28 AT CLE BEFORE TWR CANCELS THEIR TKOF CLRNC.

Narrative: AT NIGHT ON DEC/XA/95 AT CLE HOPKINS INTL. AFTER DEPARTING THE GATE AT CONCOURSE, A TAXI CLRNC WAS GIVEN TO RWY 23L FOR TKOF. THE TXWYS AND MANY OF THE TXWY AND RWY SIGNS WERE OBSCURED BY SNOW. WHEN APCHING THE RWY, TKOF CLRNC WAS ISSUED. WE WERE DOING THE TAXI CHKLIST AT THE TIME AND WENT RIGHT INTO THE TKOF CHKLIST. WE WERE RUSHING TO COMPLETE EVERYTHING BUT OUR HASTE CAUSED ME TO COMMIT AN ERROR I WILL NEVER FORGET. I TURNED ONTO THE RWY AND ADVANCED PWR FOR TKOF AND STARTED TKOF ROLL WHEN THE TWR CANCELED OUR TKOF CLRNC AND TOLD US WE WERE ON RWY 28 NOT RWY 23L. THE TKOF WAS ABORTED AT A LOW SPD (30-40 KTS) AND WE WERE CLRED TO BACK TAXI ON RWY 28 FOR TKOF ON RWY 23R. I HAD INADVERTENTLY THOUGHT WHEN I CAME OFF TXWY 'J' THAT I WAS ON RWY 23L. RWY 28'S LIGHTS WERE ON, THE RWY WAS CLR, AND THE SIGNS WERE OBSCURED. I AM MOST GRATEFUL TO THE TWR CTLR FOR HIS ALERTNESS. AS THE CAPT, THIS INCIDENT WAS MY FAULT AS I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE RUSHED AT AN ARPT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH AND I DID NOT XCHK MY HDG AFTER LINING UP ON THE RWY. IT IS AN EVENT THAT HAS TAUGHT ME A VALUABLE LESSON, EVEN AFTER 19000 HRS OF FLYING. DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE RUSHED, ESPECIALLY IF CONDITIONS ARE NOT IDEAL AND/OR YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. ALWAYS XCHK YOUR COMPASS HDG WITH RWY HDG AFTER LINING UP FOR TKOF. ONE OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, WE WERE 3 HRS LATE AND WHEN YOU'RE LATE YOU TEND TO RUSH TO TRY TO RECTIFY A SIT YOU REALLY HAVE NO CTL OVER. THE MIN YOU SAVE MAY VERY WELL NOT BE WORTH IT.

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.