Small aircraft pilot took off on the wrong runway.

Attributes
ACN	419010
Time
Date	199810
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eug airport : eug
State Reference	OR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	419010
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft developed engine fire on prior departure. Left aircraft for repairs. Returned later after repairs to retrieve aircraft. Was concerned about aircraft repairs. Filed IFR due to ceiling of about 1000 ft. Did runup and checklist, forgot to set directional gyro due to past experience with slaved directional gyro (this aircraft was not slaved). Given taxi clearance to runway 21, tower then informed me that it would be ok to depart runway 16 at intersection A5. Directional gyro read 150 degrees, so I departed what I believed to be runway 16. I was informed by departure that I had actually departed runway 34. I was very concerned about the prior engine fire, failed to set the directional gyro and thought I was departing runway 16. The plane I usually fly has a slaved directional gyro. The aircraft that I was flying this day did not.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT TOOK OFF ON THE WRONG RWY.

Narrative: ACFT DEVELOPED ENG FIRE ON PRIOR DEP. LEFT ACFT FOR REPAIRS. RETURNED LATER AFTER REPAIRS TO RETRIEVE ACFT. WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ACFT REPAIRS. FILED IFR DUE TO CEILING OF ABOUT 1000 FT. DID RUNUP AND CHKLIST, FORGOT TO SET DIRECTIONAL GYRO DUE TO PAST EXPERIENCE WITH SLAVED DIRECTIONAL GYRO (THIS ACFT WAS NOT SLAVED). GIVEN TAXI CLRNC TO RWY 21, TWR THEN INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD BE OK TO DEPART RWY 16 AT INTXN A5. DIRECTIONAL GYRO READ 150 DEGS, SO I DEPARTED WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE RWY 16. I WAS INFORMED BY DEP THAT I HAD ACTUALLY DEPARTED RWY 34. I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRIOR ENG FIRE, FAILED TO SET THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO AND THOUGHT I WAS DEPARTING RWY 16. THE PLANE I USUALLY FLY HAS A SLAVED DIRECTIONAL GYRO. THE ACFT THAT I WAS FLYING THIS DAY DID NOT.

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.