Narrative:

We were cleared to runway 22R via taxiway Y to taxiway P. After clearing runway 22L, the taxiway P and runway 22R turns into a wide expanse of concrete and I remember thinking that we need to use the full length of runway 22R and looking for a way to accomplish that without back taxiing. Initially, I couldn't see the taxiway adjacent to the threshold due to a snow pile obscuring it from my view, so I back taxied to the end of runway 22R and asked my copilot to call ready for takeoff. The copilot then mentioned that we were on the runway and immediately called the tower for takeoff clearance. I thought I could make a hard right turn and exit to the taxiway then the controller came over the radio and said that we were on the runway, but since we were there, we were ok. I started the takeoff roll and at approximately 300 ft AGL the controller called and asked what heading we were going to fly since we departed without a takeoff clearance. The real problem -- not actively listening. I was so intent on using the full runway length that I inadvertently got onto the runway and upon realizing that my mind went into high stress mode from a runway incursion! Now since I still was not actively listening and I think my mind may have been reacting to the first stages of stress -- the alarm stage (according to what I have read since the event) -- the mind is now in the flight or flee mode. PNF was doing fine until he realized that I had taxied onto the runway. Then his comment was that he started to daydream about what the ramifications were going to be from the runway incursion and he must have missed the takeoff clearance. I now believe that he was experiencing the first stages of stress, too. Supplemental information from acn 498829: I remember looking both ways crossing runway 22L, then I started back on the checklist. Next time I looked out, we were looking at the end of runway 4L, just right of centerline. I told the captain we were on the runway. He paused, then asked for me to call tower. Tower advised us that we were already on runway 22R, but go ahead and get into position and hold runway 22R. At that time, I remember thinking about what we just did, and how did we let ourselves taxi onto the runway. 30 seconds to 1 min had passed it seemed -- this is where I was needing to be thinking about the takeoff, not what had just happened. The captain was bringing up the power. I thought I had missed the takeoff clearance. We commenced a normal takeoff. Just after takeoff, the tower asked us 'what heading would you like? Because you just took off without a takeoff clearance.' once the first mistake happens -- stop! And regroup. This all happened in about 3 mins.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LG35 CREW HAD RWY INCURSION WHILE TRYING TO FIND THE END OF THE RWY. THEY THEN TAKE OFF WITHOUT CLRNC, AT MDW.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO RWY 22R VIA TXWY Y TO TXWY P. AFTER CLRING RWY 22L, THE TXWY P AND RWY 22R TURNS INTO A WIDE EXPANSE OF CONCRETE AND I REMEMBER THINKING THAT WE NEED TO USE THE FULL LENGTH OF RWY 22R AND LOOKING FOR A WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT WITHOUT BACK TAXIING. INITIALLY, I COULDN'T SEE THE TXWY ADJACENT TO THE THRESHOLD DUE TO A SNOW PILE OBSCURING IT FROM MY VIEW, SO I BACK TAXIED TO THE END OF RWY 22R AND ASKED MY COPLT TO CALL READY FOR TKOF. THE COPLT THEN MENTIONED THAT WE WERE ON THE RWY AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE TWR FOR TKOF CLRNC. I THOUGHT I COULD MAKE A HARD R TURN AND EXIT TO THE TXWY THEN THE CTLR CAME OVER THE RADIO AND SAID THAT WE WERE ON THE RWY, BUT SINCE WE WERE THERE, WE WERE OK. I STARTED THE TKOF ROLL AND AT APPROX 300 FT AGL THE CTLR CALLED AND ASKED WHAT HDG WE WERE GOING TO FLY SINCE WE DEPARTED WITHOUT A TKOF CLRNC. THE REAL PROB -- NOT ACTIVELY LISTENING. I WAS SO INTENT ON USING THE FULL RWY LENGTH THAT I INADVERTENTLY GOT ONTO THE RWY AND UPON REALIZING THAT MY MIND WENT INTO HIGH STRESS MODE FROM A RWY INCURSION! NOW SINCE I STILL WAS NOT ACTIVELY LISTENING AND I THINK MY MIND MAY HAVE BEEN REACTING TO THE FIRST STAGES OF STRESS -- THE ALARM STAGE (ACCORDING TO WHAT I HAVE READ SINCE THE EVENT) -- THE MIND IS NOW IN THE FLT OR FLEE MODE. PNF WAS DOING FINE UNTIL HE REALIZED THAT I HAD TAXIED ONTO THE RWY. THEN HIS COMMENT WAS THAT HE STARTED TO DAYDREAM ABOUT WHAT THE RAMIFICATIONS WERE GOING TO BE FROM THE RWY INCURSION AND HE MUST HAVE MISSED THE TKOF CLRNC. I NOW BELIEVE THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING THE FIRST STAGES OF STRESS, TOO. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 498829: I REMEMBER LOOKING BOTH WAYS XING RWY 22L, THEN I STARTED BACK ON THE CHKLIST. NEXT TIME I LOOKED OUT, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE END OF RWY 4L, JUST R OF CTRLINE. I TOLD THE CAPT WE WERE ON THE RWY. HE PAUSED, THEN ASKED FOR ME TO CALL TWR. TWR ADVISED US THAT WE WERE ALREADY ON RWY 22R, BUT GO AHEAD AND GET INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 22R. AT THAT TIME, I REMEMBER THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE JUST DID, AND HOW DID WE LET OURSELVES TAXI ONTO THE RWY. 30 SECONDS TO 1 MIN HAD PASSED IT SEEMED -- THIS IS WHERE I WAS NEEDING TO BE THINKING ABOUT THE TKOF, NOT WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. THE CAPT WAS BRINGING UP THE PWR. I THOUGHT I HAD MISSED THE TKOF CLRNC. WE COMMENCED A NORMAL TKOF. JUST AFTER TKOF, THE TWR ASKED US 'WHAT HDG WOULD YOU LIKE? BECAUSE YOU JUST TOOK OFF WITHOUT A TKOF CLRNC.' ONCE THE FIRST MISTAKE HAPPENS -- STOP! AND REGROUP. THIS ALL HAPPENED IN ABOUT 3 MINS.

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.