A cpr pilot took off on the wrong runway then climbed above his assigned altitude. He was unfamiliar...

Attributes
ACN	379814
Time
Date	199709
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dal
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Cessna Citation Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 3482 flight time type : 593
ASRS Report	379814
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At dal, while heading northwest on taxiway a and holding short of runway 18, I was cleared to takeoff on runway 13L. I made a left 130 degree turn onto runway 18, but failed to turn the additional 50 degrees to position the aircraft on runway 13L. I was unfamiliar with the airfield and departed thinking I was on runway 13L. Immediately upon liftoff the tower informed me that I took off on the wrong runway, mentioned the correct runway (runway 13L/31R) told to turn to a new heading and maintain a new altitude of 2000 ft instead of 5000 ft. By the time all this transpired, I was climbing through 2000 ft at takeoff power. The revised takeoff transition including confign change to cruise, including heading change, altitude change, power change, and clean-up items were accomplished as quickly as possible. I was then handed to departure control and continued the worth 7, abilene transition departure to santa ana, ca. Several things could have possibly prevented this incident. Primarily, I should have told the ground controller that I was 'unfamiliar' and requested assistance in properly taxiing and positioning the aircraft for takeoff. My fault lies in the fact I did not ask, or rechk my compass heading. Secondly, the runway signage was confusing due to the small difference between runway 13L and runway 18. The runway 13L sign alignment as viewed from runway 18 is confusing. Also, a second sign showing that you are actually positioned on runway 18 would be helpful. It would have prevented departure. I did not see any sign for runway 18 at the intersection of runways 18 and 13L. Lastly, the tower controller could have seen where I was positioned and prevented the departure -- even during the takeoff roll early stages. Finally, it would have been helpful if she would have given me only heading and, if necessary, altitude changes and left the runway discussion for a less critical time than the takeoff transition period.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR PLT TOOK OFF ON THE WRONG RWY THEN CLBED ABOVE HIS ASSIGNED ALT. HE WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT AND ADMITS THAT HE DID NOT CHK HIS HDG BEFORE STARTING TKOF.

Narrative: AT DAL, WHILE HDG NW ON TXWY A AND HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 18, I WAS CLRED TO TKOF ON RWY 13L. I MADE A L 130 DEG TURN ONTO RWY 18, BUT FAILED TO TURN THE ADDITIONAL 50 DEGS TO POS THE ACFT ON RWY 13L. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AIRFIELD AND DEPARTED THINKING I WAS ON RWY 13L. IMMEDIATELY UPON LIFTOFF THE TWR INFORMED ME THAT I TOOK OFF ON THE WRONG RWY, MENTIONED THE CORRECT RWY (RWY 13L/31R) TOLD TO TURN TO A NEW HDG AND MAINTAIN A NEW ALT OF 2000 FT INSTEAD OF 5000 FT. BY THE TIME ALL THIS TRANSPIRED, I WAS CLBING THROUGH 2000 FT AT TKOF PWR. THE REVISED TKOF TRANSITION INCLUDING CONFIGN CHANGE TO CRUISE, INCLUDING HDG CHANGE, ALT CHANGE, PWR CHANGE, AND CLEAN-UP ITEMS WERE ACCOMPLISHED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. I WAS THEN HANDED TO DEP CTL AND CONTINUED THE WORTH 7, ABILENE TRANSITION DEP TO SANTA ANA, CA. SEVERAL THINGS COULD HAVE POSSIBLY PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT. PRIMARILY, I SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE GND CTLR THAT I WAS 'UNFAMILIAR' AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE IN PROPERLY TAXIING AND POSITIONING THE ACFT FOR TKOF. MY FAULT LIES IN THE FACT I DID NOT ASK, OR RECHK MY COMPASS HDG. SECONDLY, THE RWY SIGNAGE WAS CONFUSING DUE TO THE SMALL DIFFERENCE BTWN RWY 13L AND RWY 18. THE RWY 13L SIGN ALIGNMENT AS VIEWED FROM RWY 18 IS CONFUSING. ALSO, A SECOND SIGN SHOWING THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY POSITIONED ON RWY 18 WOULD BE HELPFUL. IT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED DEP. I DID NOT SEE ANY SIGN FOR RWY 18 AT THE INTXN OF RWYS 18 AND 13L. LASTLY, THE TWR CTLR COULD HAVE SEEN WHERE I WAS POSITIONED AND PREVENTED THE DEP -- EVEN DURING THE TKOF ROLL EARLY STAGES. FINALLY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IF SHE WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME ONLY HDG AND, IF NECESSARY, ALT CHANGES AND LEFT THE RWY DISCUSSION FOR A LESS CRITICAL TIME THAN THE TKOF TRANSITION PERIOD.

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.

A cpr pilot took off on the wrong runway then climbed above his assigned altitude. He was unfamiliar with the airport and admits that he did not check his heading before starting takeoff.