Narrative:

I landed at row (roswell, NM) on a part 135 cargo flight. As I approached row, I noticed the airport was very difficult to see and even though I was advised to except a visual approach, I requested radar vectors to ILS runway 21. This was granted by roswell approach. I landed on runway 21. Upon rollout, I found the airport very disorienting in the conditions of night, and I requested progressive taxi instructions. This was granted by roswell tower. I then immediately carried out loading of cargo. I restarted the aircraft, requested IFR clearance to abq and taxi instructions. In retrospect, I remember being instructed to runway 21 for an intersection departure. The night conditions at row still felt very disorienting and I needed a progressive taxi to find the intersection. I then requested clearance for takeoff. This was granted as cleared for takeoff runway 21, fly direct chisum. I inadvertently turned left and took off on runway 3. The tower advised me as I climbed out, 'sir, you took off on runway 3.' the controller made no issue of this and the flight continued to abq without further incident. I believe this potentially very unsafe incident occurred for these reasons: 1) I was operating on ten hours rest, minimum far 135 ruling. 2) I had completed a six hour detail at night on the previous duty and then only ten hours rest. 3) I was under intense pressure of time on this detail. I feel that the combination of these factors, 1) minimum rest, 2) night operation, 3) the local conditions at row resulted in loss of situational awareness.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C402 CARGO PLT BECOMES DISORIENTED ON NIGHT OP TAXI OUT TO RWY 21 AT ROW, BEING ADVISED WHEN AIRBORNE BY ATC THAT HE DEPARTED RWY 3.

Narrative: I LANDED AT ROW (ROSWELL, NM) ON A PART 135 CARGO FLT. AS I APCHED ROW, I NOTICED THE ARPT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE AND EVEN THOUGH I WAS ADVISED TO EXCEPT A VISUAL APCH, I REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS TO ILS RWY 21. THIS WAS GRANTED BY ROSWELL APCH. I LANDED ON RWY 21. UPON ROLLOUT, I FOUND THE ARPT VERY DISORIENTING IN THE CONDITIONS OF NIGHT, AND I REQUESTED PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. THIS WAS GRANTED BY ROSWELL TWR. I THEN IMMEDIATELY CARRIED OUT LOADING OF CARGO. I RESTARTED THE ACFT, REQUESTED IFR CLRNC TO ABQ AND TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. IN RETROSPECT, I REMEMBER BEING INSTRUCTED TO RWY 21 FOR AN INTXN DEP. THE NIGHT CONDITIONS AT ROW STILL FELT VERY DISORIENTING AND I NEEDED A PROGRESSIVE TAXI TO FIND THE INTXN. I THEN REQUESTED CLRNC FOR TKOF. THIS WAS GRANTED AS CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 21, FLY DIRECT CHISUM. I INADVERTENTLY TURNED L AND TOOK OFF ON RWY 3. THE TWR ADVISED ME AS I CLBED OUT, 'SIR, YOU TOOK OFF ON RWY 3.' THE CTLR MADE NO ISSUE OF THIS AND THE FLT CONTINUED TO ABQ WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THIS POTENTIALLY VERY UNSAFE INCIDENT OCCURRED FOR THESE REASONS: 1) I WAS OPERATING ON TEN HRS REST, MINIMUM FAR 135 RULING. 2) I HAD COMPLETED A SIX HR DETAIL AT NIGHT ON THE PREVIOUS DUTY AND THEN ONLY TEN HRS REST. 3) I WAS UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE OF TIME ON THIS DETAIL. I FEEL THAT THE COMBINATION OF THESE FACTORS, 1) MINIMUM REST, 2) NIGHT OP, 3) THE LCL CONDITIONS AT ROW RESULTED IN LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.

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.