Narrative:

Tower informed us taxiing out to runway 12R that he had an aircraft on 6 mi final to runway 12R and he would like to get us out first. While taxiing on taxiway east to runway 12R, tower cleared us for takeoff on runway 12R. I started the before takeoff checklist and was just finishing it as the captain advanced the throttles for takeoff and called for autothrottles on. I then looked up and back into the cockpit for takeoff callouts. Prior to 80 KTS, the tower called 'air carrier X, you're on runway 35!' the captain aborted the takeoff. Tower cleared us for a 180 degree turn on the runway to taxi back and then offered us runway 4 for takeoff. After checking the numbers for runway 4 we accepted and had a normal takeoff and departure. I think the problem arose because tower created a false sense of urgency to get out before the inbound aircraft and we allowed ourselves to rush. Tower and the crew share responsibility for this one. I did not adequately back up the captain in ensuring we were on the right runway -- I was focused almost exclusively inside the cockpit finishing the checklist and then monitoring for takeoff. I didn't know we were on the wrong runway until tower called us. I tend to concentrate on finishing the checklist tasks and surrender ground navigating to the captain unless he asks for help -- it is just as much my responsibility as his and this is a perfect example of why!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN MD88 LINED UP WITH THE WRONG RWY AND COMMENCED TKOF AT HOU. TWR INTERVENED AND REPOSITIONED ACFT FOR TKOF ON ANOTHER RWY. FO WAS DOING PAPERWORK AND DID NOT REALIZE THAT THEY WERE ON THE WRONG RWY.

Narrative: TWR INFORMED US TAXIING OUT TO RWY 12R THAT HE HAD AN ACFT ON 6 MI FINAL TO RWY 12R AND HE WOULD LIKE TO GET US OUT FIRST. WHILE TAXIING ON TXWY E TO RWY 12R, TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF ON RWY 12R. I STARTED THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST AND WAS JUST FINISHING IT AS THE CAPT ADVANCED THE THROTTLES FOR TKOF AND CALLED FOR AUTOTHROTTLES ON. I THEN LOOKED UP AND BACK INTO THE COCKPIT FOR TKOF CALLOUTS. PRIOR TO 80 KTS, THE TWR CALLED 'ACR X, YOU'RE ON RWY 35!' THE CAPT ABORTED THE TKOF. TWR CLRED US FOR A 180 DEG TURN ON THE RWY TO TAXI BACK AND THEN OFFERED US RWY 4 FOR TKOF. AFTER CHKING THE NUMBERS FOR RWY 4 WE ACCEPTED AND HAD A NORMAL TKOF AND DEP. I THINK THE PROB AROSE BECAUSE TWR CREATED A FALSE SENSE OF URGENCY TO GET OUT BEFORE THE INBOUND ACFT AND WE ALLOWED OURSELVES TO RUSH. TWR AND THE CREW SHARE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ONE. I DID NOT ADEQUATELY BACK UP THE CAPT IN ENSURING WE WERE ON THE RIGHT RWY -- I WAS FOCUSED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY INSIDE THE COCKPIT FINISHING THE CHKLIST AND THEN MONITORING FOR TKOF. I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE ON THE WRONG RWY UNTIL TWR CALLED US. I TEND TO CONCENTRATE ON FINISHING THE CHKLIST TASKS AND SURRENDER GND NAVING TO THE CAPT UNLESS HE ASKS FOR HELP -- IT IS JUST AS MUCH MY RESPONSIBILITY AS HIS AND THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHY!

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.