Narrative:

As I prepared to depart from runway 5, which is the preferred departure runway in no wind conditions at pearson airport, fl, I noticed a low wing piper aircraft about 1/3 the way down the runway. It appeared that the aircraft had just landed and I anticipated it would taxi off the runway and return to the parking area at the initial end of runway 5. Instead, the aircraft announced his intention to back-taxi the full length of runway 23. I acknowledged his announcement and stated that I would hold at the end of runway 5. When it appeared that he had reached the far end of the runway, I announced that I was taking the active and departing on runway 5. I waited for any response from the other aircraft and receiving none, proceeded to take off. I passed over the end of the runway at an altitude of approximately 350 ft and noticed the other aircraft in the hold area at the end of the runway. Although no danger to either aircraft existed, the other aircraft made several comments on the unicom about my waiting until he had cleared the runway before my departing. He was right! I was in error! I should have made a positive determination that the other aircraft was clear of the runway before starting my takeoff roll. I believe the condition would have been avoided, however, had the other pilot used the preferred no wind departure runway or advised me that he was not yet clear of the runway when I announced my takeoff intentions. Under no conditions should an aircraft land and taxi to the end of the runway and then take off in the opposite direction (if that in fact was what the other aircraft was doing).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER CUB TAKES OFF WHEN ANOTHER ACFT IS STILL ON THE RWY AT A NON TWR ARPT.

Narrative: AS I PREPARED TO DEPART FROM RWY 5, WHICH IS THE PREFERRED DEP RWY IN NO WIND CONDITIONS AT PEARSON ARPT, FL, I NOTICED A LOW WING PIPER ACFT ABOUT 1/3 THE WAY DOWN THE RWY. IT APPEARED THAT THE ACFT HAD JUST LANDED AND I ANTICIPATED IT WOULD TAXI OFF THE RWY AND RETURN TO THE PARKING AREA AT THE INITIAL END OF RWY 5. INSTEAD, THE ACFT ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTION TO BACK-TAXI THE FULL LENGTH OF RWY 23. I ACKNOWLEDGED HIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND STATED THAT I WOULD HOLD AT THE END OF RWY 5. WHEN IT APPEARED THAT HE HAD REACHED THE FAR END OF THE RWY, I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS TAKING THE ACTIVE AND DEPARTING ON RWY 5. I WAITED FOR ANY RESPONSE FROM THE OTHER ACFT AND RECEIVING NONE, PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF. I PASSED OVER THE END OF THE RWY AT AN ALT OF APPROX 350 FT AND NOTICED THE OTHER ACFT IN THE HOLD AREA AT THE END OF THE RWY. ALTHOUGH NO DANGER TO EITHER ACFT EXISTED, THE OTHER ACFT MADE SEVERAL COMMENTS ON THE UNICOM ABOUT MY WAITING UNTIL HE HAD CLRED THE RWY BEFORE MY DEPARTING. HE WAS RIGHT! I WAS IN ERROR! I SHOULD HAVE MADE A POSITIVE DETERMINATION THAT THE OTHER ACFT WAS CLR OF THE RWY BEFORE STARTING MY TKOF ROLL. I BELIEVE THE CONDITION WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, HOWEVER, HAD THE OTHER PLT USED THE PREFERRED NO WIND DEP RWY OR ADVISED ME THAT HE WAS NOT YET CLR OF THE RWY WHEN I ANNOUNCED MY TKOF INTENTIONS. UNDER NO CONDITIONS SHOULD AN ACFT LAND AND TAXI TO THE END OF THE RWY AND THEN TAKE OFF IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION (IF THAT IN FACT WAS WHAT THE OTHER ACFT WAS DOING).

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.