Narrative:

I was cleared to taxi from the FBO located on the west ramp of mco to runway 18R. It was XA00 and I noticed what I believed to be a hold short line on taxiway a where I stopped. I was confused because the markings were a long way from the approach end of the runway but called tower and advised that I was holding short ready for takeoff. The ground controller did not see me at the approach end of the runway and asked where I was and I explained that I was at the intersection of taxiway a and taxiway J. He explained that I had stopped about 3000 ft before the approach end and cleared me to taxi to the end of the runway. (I later found out that this marking indicated a non movement area.) I wanted to understand what the marking was and began a conversation with the controller about it. I continued this conversation and when I reached the approach end of the runway was cleared for takeoff. The transition to the approach end of the runway is a dogleg with 2 45 degree turns that orient the aircraft eastbound on taxiway B1 which connects runway 18R with runway 18L. Ignoring sterile cockpit procedures during the taxi and takeoff; I continued the conversation with the controller and after making the 2 turns onto B1; saw the high intensity taxi lights and mistook them for runway lights. In retrospect; I believe that I must have registered the 2 45 degree turns as 2 90 degree turns which would put me on the active runway and my mistaken assumption was confirmed by the change in lighting and wide taxiway. (Not an excuse; just an explanation of what I believe my thought process was). During the takeoff roll; I noticed green lights and realized that I was on a taxiway. The short runway also had a building ahead and being at speed I rotated and executed a short field takeoff. I looked down during the climb out and saw that the HSI which I had set to 180 degrees was pointing 90 degrees from my heading. I had clearly failed to perform the pre takeoff check (directional gyro set to runway heading; lights on; transponder on) that I was taught and still teach as a flight instructor to my students. An air carrier jet was waiting to be cleared onto runway 18L and asked the controller 'did you see that small plane?' I knew they were talking about me and the tower controller called. He then instructed me to remain calm and just do what I needed to do to fly the plane. I continued the (fortunately) uneventful climb out and was given the option to land or continue on to my destination which I opted for. The mco controller was extremely professional. My plting on this occasion was clearly not.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BEECH BE-33 PLT TKOF ON A TXWY AT MCO.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO TAXI FROM THE FBO LOCATED ON THE W RAMP OF MCO TO RWY 18R. IT WAS XA00 AND I NOTICED WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE A HOLD SHORT LINE ON TXWY A WHERE I STOPPED. I WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE THE MARKINGS WERE A LONG WAY FROM THE APCH END OF THE RWY BUT CALLED TWR AND ADVISED THAT I WAS HOLDING SHORT READY FOR TKOF. THE GND CTLR DID NOT SEE ME AT THE APCH END OF THE RWY AND ASKED WHERE I WAS AND I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS AT THE INTXN OF TXWY A AND TXWY J. HE EXPLAINED THAT I HAD STOPPED ABOUT 3000 FT BEFORE THE APCH END AND CLRED ME TO TAXI TO THE END OF THE RWY. (I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THIS MARKING INDICATED A NON MOVEMENT AREA.) I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MARKING WAS AND BEGAN A CONVERSATION WITH THE CTLR ABOUT IT. I CONTINUED THIS CONVERSATION AND WHEN I REACHED THE APCH END OF THE RWY WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. THE TRANSITION TO THE APCH END OF THE RWY IS A DOGLEG WITH 2 45 DEG TURNS THAT ORIENT THE ACFT EBOUND ON TXWY B1 WHICH CONNECTS RWY 18R WITH RWY 18L. IGNORING STERILE COCKPIT PROCS DURING THE TAXI AND TKOF; I CONTINUED THE CONVERSATION WITH THE CTLR AND AFTER MAKING THE 2 TURNS ONTO B1; SAW THE HIGH INTENSITY TAXI LIGHTS AND MISTOOK THEM FOR RWY LIGHTS. IN RETROSPECT; I BELIEVE THAT I MUST HAVE REGISTERED THE 2 45 DEG TURNS AS 2 90 DEG TURNS WHICH WOULD PUT ME ON THE ACTIVE RWY AND MY MISTAKEN ASSUMPTION WAS CONFIRMED BY THE CHANGE IN LIGHTING AND WIDE TXWY. (NOT AN EXCUSE; JUST AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT I BELIEVE MY THOUGHT PROCESS WAS). DURING THE TKOF ROLL; I NOTICED GREEN LIGHTS AND REALIZED THAT I WAS ON A TXWY. THE SHORT RWY ALSO HAD A BUILDING AHEAD AND BEING AT SPD I ROTATED AND EXECUTED A SHORT FIELD TKOF. I LOOKED DOWN DURING THE CLBOUT AND SAW THAT THE HSI WHICH I HAD SET TO 180 DEGS WAS POINTING 90 DEGS FROM MY HDG. I HAD CLRLY FAILED TO PERFORM THE PRE TKOF CHK (DIRECTIONAL GYRO SET TO RWY HDG; LIGHTS ON; XPONDER ON) THAT I WAS TAUGHT AND STILL TEACH AS A FLT INSTRUCTOR TO MY STUDENTS. AN ACR JET WAS WAITING TO BE CLRED ONTO RWY 18L AND ASKED THE CTLR 'DID YOU SEE THAT SMALL PLANE?' I KNEW THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT ME AND THE TWR CTLR CALLED. HE THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO REMAIN CALM AND JUST DO WHAT I NEEDED TO DO TO FLY THE PLANE. I CONTINUED THE (FORTUNATELY) UNEVENTFUL CLBOUT AND WAS GIVEN THE OPTION TO LAND OR CONTINUE ON TO MY DEST WHICH I OPTED FOR. THE MCO CTLR WAS EXTREMELY PROFESSIONAL. MY PLTING ON THIS OCCASION WAS CLRLY NOT.

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.