Narrative:

Cma runway 26 (6010 ft). Tower closed. IFR clearance from approach (by radio on the ground). Approach asked if I was going to be ready soon for takeoff. I had previously copied clearance and had taxied up to hold line and was completing run-up. The airport was deserted and I was positioned for a good view of incoming traffic; not just perpendicular; but 30 degrees to the right to see approach better. I responded to approach that I was 2 mins away from being ready. In less than 2 mins; I told approach I was ready. Immediately; approach came back to me and cleared me for takeoff; told me to switch to CTAF for appropriate communications and then come back to approach frequency when airborne. I switched to CTAF while looking for incoming aircraft. I had been watching even before the following radio call which I heard the end of; '...aircraft Y on 1/2 mi final.' I looked carefully and did not see anyone -- which I recall is odd since landing lights should be easily seen; especially at 1/2 mi (there is a displaced threshold that is quite long; easy to see the line-up). Based upon many experiences of pilots much further than what they say and thinking approach was rushing a bit because of traffic that he knew was up the line; I announced intentions: 'taking runway 26 for departure to the west' and acted on this immediately. When I was at about 150 ft (not at the end of the runway yet; 6010 ft); I looked back and saw him rolling out (perhaps 20-50 yards after touchdown; just past the numbers). He said to me on CTAF; 'that wasn't a very smart move.' (he's not hostile -- he's right!) obviously; this is my error. I rushed away from the ATC release clearance (making assumptions). I failed to work the radio and made 2-WAY contact with the citation as to my intentions and timing. I assumed I could see incoming traffic that might really be close -- especially relying on landing lights being very visible at night. I was awake; had just refueled from a 1 hour trip; and if you can believe this -- not in a hurry. It seemed safe not having seen the incoming aircraft. The one thing that will change for me is slower transitions when using 2 frequencys -- ATC for the clearance; and back to CTAF for the departure. I have lots of experience doing this on approach; but very little doing it for takeoff. Also; and perhaps most important is that I failed to have direct communication with the incoming traffic in order for us to coordination our own departure and landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CESSNA PLT DEPARTING AN UNCTLED FIELD AT NIGHT TAKES OFF DESPITE HEARING INBOUND ACFT ADVISING ON SHORT FINAL FOR SAME RWY.

Narrative: CMA RWY 26 (6010 FT). TWR CLOSED. IFR CLRNC FROM APCH (BY RADIO ON THE GND). APCH ASKED IF I WAS GOING TO BE READY SOON FOR TKOF. I HAD PREVIOUSLY COPIED CLRNC AND HAD TAXIED UP TO HOLD LINE AND WAS COMPLETING RUN-UP. THE ARPT WAS DESERTED AND I WAS POSITIONED FOR A GOOD VIEW OF INCOMING TFC; NOT JUST PERPENDICULAR; BUT 30 DEGS TO THE R TO SEE APCH BETTER. I RESPONDED TO APCH THAT I WAS 2 MINS AWAY FROM BEING READY. IN LESS THAN 2 MINS; I TOLD APCH I WAS READY. IMMEDIATELY; APCH CAME BACK TO ME AND CLRED ME FOR TKOF; TOLD ME TO SWITCH TO CTAF FOR APPROPRIATE COMS AND THEN COME BACK TO APCH FREQ WHEN AIRBORNE. I SWITCHED TO CTAF WHILE LOOKING FOR INCOMING ACFT. I HAD BEEN WATCHING EVEN BEFORE THE FOLLOWING RADIO CALL WHICH I HEARD THE END OF; '...ACFT Y ON 1/2 MI FINAL.' I LOOKED CAREFULLY AND DID NOT SEE ANYONE -- WHICH I RECALL IS ODD SINCE LNDG LIGHTS SHOULD BE EASILY SEEN; ESPECIALLY AT 1/2 MI (THERE IS A DISPLACED THRESHOLD THAT IS QUITE LONG; EASY TO SEE THE LINE-UP). BASED UPON MANY EXPERIENCES OF PLTS MUCH FURTHER THAN WHAT THEY SAY AND THINKING APCH WAS RUSHING A BIT BECAUSE OF TFC THAT HE KNEW WAS UP THE LINE; I ANNOUNCED INTENTIONS: 'TAKING RWY 26 FOR DEP TO THE W' AND ACTED ON THIS IMMEDIATELY. WHEN I WAS AT ABOUT 150 FT (NOT AT THE END OF THE RWY YET; 6010 FT); I LOOKED BACK AND SAW HIM ROLLING OUT (PERHAPS 20-50 YARDS AFTER TOUCHDOWN; JUST PAST THE NUMBERS). HE SAID TO ME ON CTAF; 'THAT WASN'T A VERY SMART MOVE.' (HE'S NOT HOSTILE -- HE'S RIGHT!) OBVIOUSLY; THIS IS MY ERROR. I RUSHED AWAY FROM THE ATC RELEASE CLRNC (MAKING ASSUMPTIONS). I FAILED TO WORK THE RADIO AND MADE 2-WAY CONTACT WITH THE CITATION AS TO MY INTENTIONS AND TIMING. I ASSUMED I COULD SEE INCOMING TFC THAT MIGHT REALLY BE CLOSE -- ESPECIALLY RELYING ON LNDG LIGHTS BEING VERY VISIBLE AT NIGHT. I WAS AWAKE; HAD JUST REFUELED FROM A 1 HR TRIP; AND IF YOU CAN BELIEVE THIS -- NOT IN A HURRY. IT SEEMED SAFE NOT HAVING SEEN THE INCOMING ACFT. THE ONE THING THAT WILL CHANGE FOR ME IS SLOWER TRANSITIONS WHEN USING 2 FREQS -- ATC FOR THE CLRNC; AND BACK TO CTAF FOR THE DEP. I HAVE LOTS OF EXPERIENCE DOING THIS ON APCH; BUT VERY LITTLE DOING IT FOR TKOF. ALSO; AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT I FAILED TO HAVE DIRECT COM WITH THE INCOMING TFC IN ORDER FOR US TO COORD OUR OWN DEP AND LNDG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.