AC11 departs wrong runway during intersection takeoff at pia.

Attributes
ACN	598763
Time
Date	200311
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pia.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pia.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Aero Commander 112
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	598763
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Pilot did run up at midfield on 8000 ft runway at midpoint. It was dusk to dark and landing light malfunctioned at time of clearance to take off on runway 4. After clearance, pilot turned wrong way onto runway 22, while trying to reset landing light breaker. Decision was made to take off on runway and did not realize that plane was on wrong runway until 'point-of-no-return.' continued on takeoff, making immediate left turn to offset runway heading. Confirmed with tower. Stupid mistake and noticed oncoming traffic about 1 mi. Proceeded to finish climb out heading assigned by tower. The pilot had worked the previous 12 hours and has a supercritical project. He was distraction by the landing light problem. This was the first mistake of this kind he has made. I believe that time and stress had a significant part in this incident. The pilot has changed his priorities and also added check for proper runway on his checklist. This was pilot error with a lucky outcome. It will not happen again for this pilot. I understood that runway incursions are a major problem. I believe that if airports indicated proper runway at midfield signs, this may not happen as much at night. Lighted taxi ctrlines would also be nice at major airports. All red lights on back of runway lights may also help. This would show if heading wrong runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AC11 DEPARTS WRONG RWY DURING INTXN TKOF AT PIA.

Narrative: PLT DID RUN UP AT MIDFIELD ON 8000 FT RWY AT MIDPOINT. IT WAS DUSK TO DARK AND LNDG LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED AT TIME OF CLRNC TO TAKE OFF ON RWY 4. AFTER CLRNC, PLT TURNED WRONG WAY ONTO RWY 22, WHILE TRYING TO RESET LNDG LIGHT BREAKER. DECISION WAS MADE TO TAKE OFF ON RWY AND DID NOT REALIZE THAT PLANE WAS ON WRONG RWY UNTIL 'POINT-OF-NO-RETURN.' CONTINUED ON TKOF, MAKING IMMEDIATE L TURN TO OFFSET RWY HEADING. CONFIRMED WITH TWR. STUPID MISTAKE AND NOTICED ONCOMING TFC ABOUT 1 MI. PROCEEDED TO FINISH CLBOUT HEADING ASSIGNED BY TWR. THE PLT HAD WORKED THE PREVIOUS 12 HRS AND HAS A SUPERCRITICAL PROJECT. HE WAS DISTR BY THE LNDG LIGHT PROB. THIS WAS THE FIRST MISTAKE OF THIS KIND HE HAS MADE. I BELIEVE THAT TIME AND STRESS HAD A SIGNIFICANT PART IN THIS INCIDENT. THE PLT HAS CHANGED HIS PRIORITIES AND ALSO ADDED CHK FOR PROPER RWY ON HIS CHKLIST. THIS WAS PLT ERROR WITH A LUCKY OUTCOME. IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR THIS PLT. I UNDERSTOOD THAT RWY INCURSIONS ARE A MAJOR PROB. I BELIEVE THAT IF ARPTS INDICATED PROPER RWY AT MIDFIELD SIGNS, THIS MAY NOT HAPPEN AS MUCH AT NIGHT. LIGHTED TAXI CTRLINES WOULD ALSO BE NICE AT MAJOR ARPTS. ALL RED LIGHTS ON BACK OF RWY LIGHTS MAY ALSO HELP. THIS WOULD SHOW IF HEADING WRONG RWY.

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.