Captain of light transport taxies while checklist is being completed. He turns onto what he believes...

Attributes
ACN	382919
Time
Date	199710
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : private pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	382919
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As we turned on taxiway a we were cleared for takeoff. The captain accelerated his taxi to the runway (runway 36R). While he was driving, I finished the taxi checklist and started the before takeoff checklist. My eyes and attention were inside the airplane. Before I was done with the checklist we were beginning to roll down the runway -- I thought. As the captain brought up the power to takeoff power, I was still inside the cockpit, watching the engine gauges and airspeed. At 80 KTS the aircraft was handed over to me as company procedures dictate (it was my leg to fly). As we rolled out I noticed that the runway was darker than normal. At V1 I realized we were on the parallel taxiway to runway 36R. I saw no crossing traffic and immediately rotated and started the climb. No one apparently noticed that we took off of the taxiway. I wasn't 100% sure for some mins after when I had time to look back and replay the takeoff. The captain never noticed. The visibility was amazingly clear. There seemed to be more lights than normal. We didn't use the standard taxi to runway 36R intersection a. Normally we use the inner taxiway (transition to taxiway F at G10). We taxied on taxiway G to taxiway a. I assume the captain was used to making the short right turn to the runway, along with the white lights appearing brighter the captain assumed he was on the runway. I should have made the captain slow down enough so I could regain my situational awareness. I should have forced my eyes out of the cockpit during the taxi and especially as we took the 'runway.' I think the before takeoff checklist should be completed before we take the runway. That way, both crew members can be looking outside the aircraft where all of the danger lurks anyway. I am still stunned by the occurrence, especially with such good visibility. I am very thankful that there was no crossing traffic downfield.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF LTT TAXIES WHILE CHKLIST IS BEING COMPLETED. HE TURNS ONTO WHAT HE BELIEVES IS THE RWY AND AT 80 KTS TURNS THE ACFT OVER TO THE FO. NOTING THE DARKER THAN NORMAL APPEARANCE THE FO REALIZES THEY ARE TAKING OFF ON A PARALLEL TXWY.

Narrative: AS WE TURNED ON TXWY A WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. THE CAPT ACCELERATED HIS TAXI TO THE RWY (RWY 36R). WHILE HE WAS DRIVING, I FINISHED THE TAXI CHKLIST AND STARTED THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST. MY EYES AND ATTN WERE INSIDE THE AIRPLANE. BEFORE I WAS DONE WITH THE CHKLIST WE WERE BEGINNING TO ROLL DOWN THE RWY -- I THOUGHT. AS THE CAPT BROUGHT UP THE PWR TO TKOF PWR, I WAS STILL INSIDE THE COCKPIT, WATCHING THE ENG GAUGES AND AIRSPD. AT 80 KTS THE ACFT WAS HANDED OVER TO ME AS COMPANY PROCS DICTATE (IT WAS MY LEG TO FLY). AS WE ROLLED OUT I NOTICED THAT THE RWY WAS DARKER THAN NORMAL. AT V1 I REALIZED WE WERE ON THE PARALLEL TXWY TO RWY 36R. I SAW NO XING TFC AND IMMEDIATELY ROTATED AND STARTED THE CLB. NO ONE APPARENTLY NOTICED THAT WE TOOK OFF OF THE TXWY. I WASN'T 100% SURE FOR SOME MINS AFTER WHEN I HAD TIME TO LOOK BACK AND REPLAY THE TKOF. THE CAPT NEVER NOTICED. THE VISIBILITY WAS AMAZINGLY CLR. THERE SEEMED TO BE MORE LIGHTS THAN NORMAL. WE DIDN'T USE THE STANDARD TAXI TO RWY 36R INTXN A. NORMALLY WE USE THE INNER TXWY (TRANSITION TO TXWY F AT G10). WE TAXIED ON TXWY G TO TXWY A. I ASSUME THE CAPT WAS USED TO MAKING THE SHORT R TURN TO THE RWY, ALONG WITH THE WHITE LIGHTS APPEARING BRIGHTER THE CAPT ASSUMED HE WAS ON THE RWY. I SHOULD HAVE MADE THE CAPT SLOW DOWN ENOUGH SO I COULD REGAIN MY SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. I SHOULD HAVE FORCED MY EYES OUT OF THE COCKPIT DURING THE TAXI AND ESPECIALLY AS WE TOOK THE 'RWY.' I THINK THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST SHOULD BE COMPLETED BEFORE WE TAKE THE RWY. THAT WAY, BOTH CREW MEMBERS CAN BE LOOKING OUTSIDE THE ACFT WHERE ALL OF THE DANGER LURKS ANYWAY. I AM STILL STUNNED BY THE OCCURRENCE, ESPECIALLY WITH SUCH GOOD VISIBILITY. I AM VERY THANKFUL THAT THERE WAS NO XING TFC DOWNFIELD.

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.

Captain of light transport taxies while checklist is being completed. He turns onto what he believes is the runway and at 80 KTS turns the aircraft over to the first officer. Noting the darker than normal appearance the first officer realizes they are taking off on a parallel taxiway.