Narrative:

After monitoring CTAF for approximately 5 mins without hearing any traffic, I approached the 1 degree sloped runway for a downslope takeoff. I checked for traffic in the pattern and on both final approachs. I saw a glint of light on the upslope approach path, so I rechked to make sure it wasn't an approaching airplane. It appeared to be a stationary object on a mountain ridge that was straight out from the downslope runway. I announced my intention to take off from the downslope runway and I received no response on the CTAF, so I taxied onto the runway and began my takeoff roll. I was suddenly aware of a twin engine airplane that had aborted its landing and flew directly overhead in the opposite direction at approximately 100 ft AGL. I continued my takeoff roll and departed the airport. I attribute my failure to identify the approaching airplane to the novelty of the optical illusion created by the apparently stationary airplane with the mountain ridge in the backgnd. Now that I am aware of how that looks, I believe that I will be able to identify an approaching aircraft should a similar situation occur. Also, I think that the lack of CTAF traffic contributed to my conclusion that the glint of light I was looking at was not an airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN RV3 PLT THOUGHT THE UNCTLED FIELD WAS CLR FOR TKOF AND DISCOVERED ON TKOF ROLL THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT ON SHORT FINAL FOR THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION RWY THAT HAD TO GO AROUND.

Narrative: AFTER MONITORING CTAF FOR APPROX 5 MINS WITHOUT HEARING ANY TFC, I APCHED THE 1 DEG SLOPED RWY FOR A DOWNSLOPE TKOF. I CHKED FOR TFC IN THE PATTERN AND ON BOTH FINAL APCHS. I SAW A GLINT OF LIGHT ON THE UPSLOPE APCH PATH, SO I RECHKED TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T AN APCHING AIRPLANE. IT APPEARED TO BE A STATIONARY OBJECT ON A MOUNTAIN RIDGE THAT WAS STRAIGHT OUT FROM THE DOWNSLOPE RWY. I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTION TO TAKE OFF FROM THE DOWNSLOPE RWY AND I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE ON THE CTAF, SO I TAXIED ONTO THE RWY AND BEGAN MY TKOF ROLL. I WAS SUDDENLY AWARE OF A TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE THAT HAD ABORTED ITS LNDG AND FLEW DIRECTLY OVERHEAD IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT APPROX 100 FT AGL. I CONTINUED MY TKOF ROLL AND DEPARTED THE ARPT. I ATTRIBUTE MY FAILURE TO IDENT THE APCHING AIRPLANE TO THE NOVELTY OF THE OPTICAL ILLUSION CREATED BY THE APPARENTLY STATIONARY AIRPLANE WITH THE MOUNTAIN RIDGE IN THE BACKGND. NOW THAT I AM AWARE OF HOW THAT LOOKS, I BELIEVE THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO IDENT AN APCHING ACFT SHOULD A SIMILAR SIT OCCUR. ALSO, I THINK THAT THE LACK OF CTAF TFC CONTRIBUTED TO MY CONCLUSION THAT THE GLINT OF LIGHT I WAS LOOKING AT WAS NOT AN AIRPLANE.

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.