Narrative:

I was preparing to depart tampa international airport, VFR, to stuart, fl (sua). I received a clearance for the flight from clearance delivery, then asked ground control for progressive taxi instructions as I was unfamiliar with the airport. I was located at the southeast corner of the airport, very near the active runway (36R) and ground control told me to proceed south to the end of the ramp and use taxiway P to runway 36R. At taxiway P, I held short, did my preflight and contacted the tower as ready at runway 36R. The tower cleared me for an immediate takeoff and I proceeded west on taxiway P to what I thought was runway 36R, but in reality it was a very wide taxiway D. I commenced a takeoff roll and at the same time I realized something was not right, the tower called me and told me to stop immediately, which I did. The tower informed me that I was on a taxiway, not the runway. I asked for and received permission to do a 180 degrees on the taxiway. The tower told me to taxi to runway 36R and hold in place, which I did. The tower then cleared me for takeoff and I enjoyed an uneventful trip home. Darkness, unfamiliarity with the airport and haste to depart were all contributing factors in this mistake. Blue taxiway lights should have certainly registered in my brain immediately, but they did not in time to prevent my starting a takeoff roll. The shear size of the airport, txwys and runways is certainly not something I am used to. Everything there is clearly marked, but at night finding your way around a strange airport is even more difficult than during the day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TBM7 PLT, TAXIING FOR TKOF AT TPA, LINED UP WITH AND STARTED TKOF ROLL ON THE PARALLEL TXWY.

Narrative: I WAS PREPARING TO DEPART TAMPA INTL ARPT, VFR, TO STUART, FL (SUA). I RECEIVED A CLRNC FOR THE FLT FROM CLRNC DELIVERY, THEN ASKED GND CTL FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AS I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. I WAS LOCATED AT THE SE CORNER OF THE ARPT, VERY NEAR THE ACTIVE RWY (36R) AND GND CTL TOLD ME TO PROCEED S TO THE END OF THE RAMP AND USE TXWY P TO RWY 36R. AT TXWY P, I HELD SHORT, DID MY PREFLT AND CONTACTED THE TWR AS READY AT RWY 36R. THE TWR CLRED ME FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF AND I PROCEEDED W ON TXWY P TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RWY 36R, BUT IN REALITY IT WAS A VERY WIDE TXWY D. I COMMENCED A TKOF ROLL AND AT THE SAME TIME I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT, THE TWR CALLED ME AND TOLD ME TO STOP IMMEDIATELY, WHICH I DID. THE TWR INFORMED ME THAT I WAS ON A TXWY, NOT THE RWY. I ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO DO A 180 DEGS ON THE TXWY. THE TWR TOLD ME TO TAXI TO RWY 36R AND HOLD IN PLACE, WHICH I DID. THE TWR THEN CLRED ME FOR TKOF AND I ENJOYED AN UNEVENTFUL TRIP HOME. DARKNESS, UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT AND HASTE TO DEPART WERE ALL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THIS MISTAKE. BLUE TXWY LIGHTS SHOULD HAVE CERTAINLY REGISTERED IN MY BRAIN IMMEDIATELY, BUT THEY DID NOT IN TIME TO PREVENT MY STARTING A TKOF ROLL. THE SHEAR SIZE OF THE ARPT, TXWYS AND RWYS IS CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING I AM USED TO. EVERYTHING THERE IS CLRLY MARKED, BUT AT NIGHT FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND A STRANGE ARPT IS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT THAN DURING THE DAY.

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.