Narrative:

Upon preparing for departure, I looked for activity to indicate the active runway. The radio and air were quiet. It was hot, maybe 90 degrees. Wind was calm. Upon arrival, I had used runway 23 which was active at the time. However, runway 5 was downhill, out of the sun and also the direction of the wind tee. I decided to use runway 5, taxied thus and did a run-up. I made a takeoff north departure announcement on CTAF (122.8), looked/listened for traffic, pulled on runway and accelerated. Light loading and downhill grade made up for heat/density altitude and takeoff roll would be relatively short. As the wheels got light, I saw a landing aircraft directly opposite on runway 23. He was rolling out about 2000-3000 ft ahead of me. Since we weren't close and I was almost airborne, I continued takeoff, lifted off as soon as possible and tracked well right of runway. I passed the landing aircraft as he turned off runway and radioed an apology. No reply. I continued home without further incident. All the while, I wondered how I missed the landing traffic. Radio switches and indications were correct, yet I heard nothing -- wait -- a small toggle switch at my left knee, the speaker on off switch I never use, I toggled it and heard xmissions. I never received. I never expected landing traffic and I saw what I expected. A clear path. Later I asked my 3 yr old if he touched anything -- yes, a little switch.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT UPON TKOF FROM A NON TWR ARPT (PUW) ENCOUNTERED AN ACFT LNDG ON THE SAME RWY, OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Narrative: UPON PREPARING FOR DEP, I LOOKED FOR ACTIVITY TO INDICATE THE ACTIVE RWY. THE RADIO AND AIR WERE QUIET. IT WAS HOT, MAYBE 90 DEGS. WIND WAS CALM. UPON ARR, I HAD USED RWY 23 WHICH WAS ACTIVE AT THE TIME. HOWEVER, RWY 5 WAS DOWNHILL, OUT OF THE SUN AND ALSO THE DIRECTION OF THE WIND TEE. I DECIDED TO USE RWY 5, TAXIED THUS AND DID A RUN-UP. I MADE A TKOF N DEP ANNOUNCEMENT ON CTAF (122.8), LOOKED/LISTENED FOR TFC, PULLED ON RWY AND ACCELERATED. LIGHT LOADING AND DOWNHILL GRADE MADE UP FOR HEAT/DENSITY ALT AND TKOF ROLL WOULD BE RELATIVELY SHORT. AS THE WHEELS GOT LIGHT, I SAW A LNDG ACFT DIRECTLY OPPOSITE ON RWY 23. HE WAS ROLLING OUT ABOUT 2000-3000 FT AHEAD OF ME. SINCE WE WEREN'T CLOSE AND I WAS ALMOST AIRBORNE, I CONTINUED TKOF, LIFTED OFF ASAP AND TRACKED WELL R OF RWY. I PASSED THE LNDG ACFT AS HE TURNED OFF RWY AND RADIOED AN APOLOGY. NO REPLY. I CONTINUED HOME WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ALL THE WHILE, I WONDERED HOW I MISSED THE LNDG TFC. RADIO SWITCHES AND INDICATIONS WERE CORRECT, YET I HEARD NOTHING -- WAIT -- A SMALL TOGGLE SWITCH AT MY L KNEE, THE SPEAKER ON OFF SWITCH I NEVER USE, I TOGGLED IT AND HEARD XMISSIONS. I NEVER RECEIVED. I NEVER EXPECTED LNDG TFC AND I SAW WHAT I EXPECTED. A CLR PATH. LATER I ASKED MY 3 YR OLD IF HE TOUCHED ANYTHING -- YES, A LITTLE SWITCH.

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.