Narrative:

Oakland has a north field facility for GA separated from air carrier traffic. This is a busy class C facility. I have limited experience at oakland, always using the parallel runways 27. I briefed the standard departure listed in my flight guide and asked for the right turn departure from runway 27 as listed in the guide. The ground controller refused my request and asked my destination, which was to the north (sts). I was instructed to taxi to runway 33, and was volunteered some progressive taxi instruction. I stopped at the runway 33 holding position sign for the runway approach area (33 approach). The runway 33 end is not easy to see. I misidented taxiway J for runway 33 and took off from taxiway J. My thought process was as follows: I know that I am at runway 33 because of the approach sign. Runway 33 is at an odd angle to runways 27L and 27R. I note that txwys to the left and right of my position have blue lights. I observe white lights on taxiway J. (I now believe those lights to have been runway 27 lights where it intersects taxiway J.) since there are no blue lights on taxiway J, I conclude that it is the runway. 2 local CFI's confirm that the area is somewhat confusing. The real lesson is to take time to re-examine the airport diagram when assigned an unanticipated, unfamiliar runway, to not let the ground controller hurry you along with a quasi-progressive taxi, to verify holding position sign and to request verification if there is confusion. There was no runway incursion, but this is a busy facility.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 MADE A TKOF ON A TXWY WHEN HE BECAME CONFUSED ABOUT THE ARPT LAYOUT.

Narrative: OAKLAND HAS A N FIELD FACILITY FOR GA SEPARATED FROM ACR TFC. THIS IS A BUSY CLASS C FACILITY. I HAVE LIMITED EXPERIENCE AT OAKLAND, ALWAYS USING THE PARALLEL RWYS 27. I BRIEFED THE STANDARD DEP LISTED IN MY FLT GUIDE AND ASKED FOR THE R TURN DEP FROM RWY 27 AS LISTED IN THE GUIDE. THE GND CTLR REFUSED MY REQUEST AND ASKED MY DEST, WHICH WAS TO THE N (STS). I WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO RWY 33, AND WAS VOLUNTEERED SOME PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTION. I STOPPED AT THE RWY 33 HOLDING POS SIGN FOR THE RWY APCH AREA (33 APCH). THE RWY 33 END IS NOT EASY TO SEE. I MISIDENTED TXWY J FOR RWY 33 AND TOOK OFF FROM TXWY J. MY THOUGHT PROCESS WAS AS FOLLOWS: I KNOW THAT I AM AT RWY 33 BECAUSE OF THE APCH SIGN. RWY 33 IS AT AN ODD ANGLE TO RWYS 27L AND 27R. I NOTE THAT TXWYS TO THE L AND R OF MY POS HAVE BLUE LIGHTS. I OBSERVE WHITE LIGHTS ON TXWY J. (I NOW BELIEVE THOSE LIGHTS TO HAVE BEEN RWY 27 LIGHTS WHERE IT INTERSECTS TXWY J.) SINCE THERE ARE NO BLUE LIGHTS ON TXWY J, I CONCLUDE THAT IT IS THE RWY. 2 LCL CFI'S CONFIRM THAT THE AREA IS SOMEWHAT CONFUSING. THE REAL LESSON IS TO TAKE TIME TO RE-EXAMINE THE ARPT DIAGRAM WHEN ASSIGNED AN UNANTICIPATED, UNFAMILIAR RWY, TO NOT LET THE GND CTLR HURRY YOU ALONG WITH A QUASI-PROGRESSIVE TAXI, TO VERIFY HOLDING POS SIGN AND TO REQUEST VERIFICATION IF THERE IS CONFUSION. THERE WAS NO RWY INCURSION, BUT THIS IS A BUSY FACILITY.

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.