Single pilot took off on wrong runway.

Attributes
ACN	490819
Time
Date	200011
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	CT
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bdr.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 33
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
ASRS Report	490819
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Pilot (reporter) was only person in aircraft and had never been to this airport before. Aircraft was cleared to taxi to runway 29 at intersection a. Txwys a and D intersect at southeast corner of ramp very close to intersection of runways 24 and 29. These intxns are located some distance away from the runway ends, so the painted runway designators are not visible. This is very confusing to someone unfamiliar with the airport. After run-up, pilot called tower to request takeoff clearance and was cleared for takeoff on runway 29. Pilot inadvertently taxied onto runway 24 believing it was runway 29 and continued with a normal takeoff. As aircraft was climbing out, tower informed pilot of the error. Pilot apologized, noting that he was unfamiliar with the airport. What could have been done differently: 1) pilot could have asked for progressive taxi instructions, as he was unfamiliar with the airport. 2) pilot could have asked tower to verify that aircraft was holding at correct location. 3) because of his comment to the pilot, it was obvious that tower controller saw aircraft taking wrong runway. He could have, and should have, alerted him before the takeoff roll. (This is not an excuse for the pilot's error, however.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SINGLE PLT TOOK OFF ON WRONG RWY.

Narrative: PLT (RPTR) WAS ONLY PERSON IN ACFT AND HAD NEVER BEEN TO THIS ARPT BEFORE. ACFT WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 29 AT INTXN A. TXWYS A AND D INTERSECT AT SE CORNER OF RAMP VERY CLOSE TO INTXN OF RWYS 24 AND 29. THESE INTXNS ARE LOCATED SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE RWY ENDS, SO THE PAINTED RWY DESIGNATORS ARE NOT VISIBLE. THIS IS VERY CONFUSING TO SOMEONE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. AFTER RUN-UP, PLT CALLED TWR TO REQUEST TKOF CLRNC AND WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 29. PLT INADVERTENTLY TAXIED ONTO RWY 24 BELIEVING IT WAS RWY 29 AND CONTINUED WITH A NORMAL TKOF. AS ACFT WAS CLBING OUT, TWR INFORMED PLT OF THE ERROR. PLT APOLOGIZED, NOTING THAT HE WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE DIFFERENTLY: 1) PLT COULD HAVE ASKED FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS, AS HE WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. 2) PLT COULD HAVE ASKED TWR TO VERIFY THAT ACFT WAS HOLDING AT CORRECT LOCATION. 3) BECAUSE OF HIS COMMENT TO THE PLT, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT TWR CTLR SAW ACFT TAKING WRONG RWY. HE COULD HAVE, AND SHOULD HAVE, ALERTED HIM BEFORE THE TKOF ROLL. (THIS IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR THE PLT'S ERROR, HOWEVER.)

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.