Narrative:

I was taking off in VMC from AL15, runway 17. I announced my taxi, and I announced my taking the active runway for departure after my runup. As I began to move from the hold short line, I scanned the area of short final and downwind/base legs -- did not see any other aircraft. (I was running up facing east on the end of runway 17, so I could see the downwind and base legs of this l-hand pattern for runway 17.) as I pushed full throttle and began the takeoff roll, a twin engine aircraft passed over my aircraft, about 300 ft above and slightly to my right. His gear was up. I had heard no calls during my taxi or runup. He continued parallel to the runway and broke right, as I departed left, so there was no further danger of collision. Once I leveled off, I noticed my radio's volume knob was turned all the way down. The twin may indeed have heard me and made appropriate calls, but with my volume down, I would not have heard him. From now on, I leave my volume knobs at a normal volume, and turn the radios on and off with the master radio switch. Also, it is well worth it, in a taildragger with limited visibility such as mine, to pivot around 360 degrees to do a full scan of the area prior to leaving the hold short line.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT IN AN SMA TAXIED ONTO THE RWY IN FRONT OF A LIGHT TWIN ENG ACFT CAUSING IT TO GAR. THE RPTR ADMITTED THAT HIS RADIO VOLUME CTL WAS TURNED DOWN AND HE COULD NOT HEAR TFC, ALSO THAT THE VISIBILITY OVER THE NOSE OF HIS TAILWHEEL ACFT WAS POOR.

Narrative: I WAS TAKING OFF IN VMC FROM AL15, RWY 17. I ANNOUNCED MY TAXI, AND I ANNOUNCED MY TAKING THE ACTIVE RWY FOR DEP AFTER MY RUNUP. AS I BEGAN TO MOVE FROM THE HOLD SHORT LINE, I SCANNED THE AREA OF SHORT FINAL AND DOWNWIND/BASE LEGS -- DID NOT SEE ANY OTHER ACFT. (I WAS RUNNING UP FACING E ON THE END OF RWY 17, SO I COULD SEE THE DOWNWIND AND BASE LEGS OF THIS L-HAND PATTERN FOR RWY 17.) AS I PUSHED FULL THROTTLE AND BEGAN THE TKOF ROLL, A TWIN ENG ACFT PASSED OVER MY ACFT, ABOUT 300 FT ABOVE AND SLIGHTLY TO MY R. HIS GEAR WAS UP. I HAD HEARD NO CALLS DURING MY TAXI OR RUNUP. HE CONTINUED PARALLEL TO THE RWY AND BROKE R, AS I DEPARTED L, SO THERE WAS NO FURTHER DANGER OF COLLISION. ONCE I LEVELED OFF, I NOTICED MY RADIO'S VOLUME KNOB WAS TURNED ALL THE WAY DOWN. THE TWIN MAY INDEED HAVE HEARD ME AND MADE APPROPRIATE CALLS, BUT WITH MY VOLUME DOWN, I WOULD NOT HAVE HEARD HIM. FROM NOW ON, I LEAVE MY VOLUME KNOBS AT A NORMAL VOLUME, AND TURN THE RADIOS ON AND OFF WITH THE MASTER RADIO SWITCH. ALSO, IT IS WELL WORTH IT, IN A TAILDRAGGER WITH LIMITED VISIBILITY SUCH AS MINE, TO PIVOT AROUND 360 DEGS TO DO A FULL SCAN OF THE AREA PRIOR TO LEAVING THE HOLD SHORT LINE.

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.