Taxiway takeoff by a C337 pilot at las.

Attributes
ACN	636658
Time
Date	200411
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : las.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Super Skymaster
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : taxi ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 32 flight time total : 2971 flight time type : 1668
ASRS Report	636658
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We received the current ATIS. At las, the WX and visibility were good VFR. Clearance delivery gave us heading, altitude, departure frequency and squawk code. Ground cleared us to the runway area short of runway 19R on taxiway H. After our run-up, I contacted the tower and was given a takeoff clearance. I didn't have an airport diagram, but the signage in front of me said runway 19R/1L. I had just taxied down a large taxiway parallel to runway 19R so when cleared I pulled onto what I thought was runway 19R. As I approached my rotation speed, both I and the tower realized what I had done. There were no other planes or vehicles near or on the taxiway, so the takeoff and departure were uneventful. I recently took the FAA taxi/landing and airport signage program and only missed 1 question. I fly frequently into class B airports, have flown for over 3 decades and never had a violation or warning. I completed type proficiency, BFR and IFR recurrency in august/04 and passed very easily. I have no excuse, except to say I felt the runway 19R/1L sign on that runway to be confusing. I should have requested confirmation that I was indeed on runway 19R and although the tower controller is very busy, I would hope he would see a plane over 1/2 way down the taxiway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TXWY TKOF BY A C337 PLT AT LAS.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED THE CURRENT ATIS. AT LAS, THE WX AND VISIBILITY WERE GOOD VFR. CLRNC DELIVERY GAVE US HDG, ALT, DEP FREQ AND SQUAWK CODE. GND CLRED US TO THE RWY AREA SHORT OF RWY 19R ON TXWY H. AFTER OUR RUN-UP, I CONTACTED THE TWR AND WAS GIVEN A TKOF CLRNC. I DIDN'T HAVE AN ARPT DIAGRAM, BUT THE SIGNAGE IN FRONT OF ME SAID RWY 19R/1L. I HAD JUST TAXIED DOWN A LARGE TXWY PARALLEL TO RWY 19R SO WHEN CLRED I PULLED ONTO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RWY 19R. AS I APCHED MY ROTATION SPD, BOTH I AND THE TWR REALIZED WHAT I HAD DONE. THERE WERE NO OTHER PLANES OR VEHICLES NEAR OR ON THE TXWY, SO THE TKOF AND DEP WERE UNEVENTFUL. I RECENTLY TOOK THE FAA TAXI/LNDG AND ARPT SIGNAGE PROGRAM AND ONLY MISSED 1 QUESTION. I FLY FREQUENTLY INTO CLASS B ARPTS, HAVE FLOWN FOR OVER 3 DECADES AND NEVER HAD A VIOLATION OR WARNING. I COMPLETED TYPE PROFICIENCY, BFR AND IFR RECURRENCY IN AUGUST/04 AND PASSED VERY EASILY. I HAVE NO EXCUSE, EXCEPT TO SAY I FELT THE RWY 19R/1L SIGN ON THAT RWY TO BE CONFUSING. I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED CONFIRMATION THAT I WAS INDEED ON RWY 19R AND ALTHOUGH THE TWR CTLR IS VERY BUSY, I WOULD HOPE HE WOULD SEE A PLANE OVER 1/2 WAY DOWN THE TXWY.

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.