An atx flight crew attempted to takeoff on the wrong runway at hou.

Attributes
ACN	332725
Time
Date	199604
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	332725
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff after taxiing down the parallel taxiway for runway 4 at hou. I rolled onto the runway at the junction of runway 4 and runway 36 and lined up on runway 36 by mistake. I and the tower caught my mistake at about the same time at about 50 KTS. We stopped, back taxied to runway 4, and were cleared for takeoff runway 4. As we were taxiing down the parallel, tower cleared us for takeoff and turn left to 020 degrees, which I set with the heading bug, but for the first time I neglected to check the CDI that was set to 040 degrees. I think the laid back attitude due to early morning go after long previous day and tower instruction to turn left to 020 degrees may have contributed to mistake, I am not sure! But I am sure of how I caught this mistake and how to prevent it again. As we accelerated I noticed the black 1000 ft marker as we approached it (runway 4) and I knew that I should have more than 7000 ft on runway 4. So I stopped, then checked the CDI. If I had checked the CDI first I would not be writing this ASRS report. Also, the tower was very forgiving -- both on me and on my ego!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATX FLC ATTEMPTED TO TKOF ON THE WRONG RWY AT HOU.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AFTER TAXIING DOWN THE PARALLEL TXWY FOR RWY 4 AT HOU. I ROLLED ONTO THE RWY AT THE JUNCTION OF RWY 4 AND RWY 36 AND LINED UP ON RWY 36 BY MISTAKE. I AND THE TWR CAUGHT MY MISTAKE AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME AT ABOUT 50 KTS. WE STOPPED, BACK TAXIED TO RWY 4, AND WERE CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 4. AS WE WERE TAXIING DOWN THE PARALLEL, TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF AND TURN L TO 020 DEGS, WHICH I SET WITH THE HDG BUG, BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME I NEGLECTED TO CHK THE CDI THAT WAS SET TO 040 DEGS. I THINK THE LAID BACK ATTITUDE DUE TO EARLY MORNING GO AFTER LONG PREVIOUS DAY AND TWR INSTRUCTION TO TURN L TO 020 DEGS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO MISTAKE, I AM NOT SURE! BUT I AM SURE OF HOW I CAUGHT THIS MISTAKE AND HOW TO PREVENT IT AGAIN. AS WE ACCELERATED I NOTICED THE BLACK 1000 FT MARKER AS WE APCHED IT (RWY 4) AND I KNEW THAT I SHOULD HAVE MORE THAN 7000 FT ON RWY 4. SO I STOPPED, THEN CHKED THE CDI. IF I HAD CHKED THE CDI FIRST I WOULD NOT BE WRITING THIS ASRS RPT. ALSO, THE TWR WAS VERY FORGIVING -- BOTH ON ME AND ON MY EGO!

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.