Small aircraft takeoff from taxiway on closed airport.

Attributes
ACN	132360
Time
Date	198912
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cre
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : myr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 687 flight time type : 461
ASRS Report	132360
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cre was hit with the worst snowstorm in this century on 12/sat/89. The runway was covered in snow, and there was drifting snow. The airport has no snow removal equipment. The plane was completely free of ice and snow. The tower was closed on 12/mon/89, and the FBO closed early. Snow was almost gone from the taxiway that paralleled the runway. Further the taxiway was previously a runway (as lcls told me). Given a strong headwind, clear WX, and at least 2000' of taxiway, I took off with no problem--in fact several flts preceded me earlier in the day. I observed them and determined that the length was adequate. Further I waited until later in the day so that the above freezing temperature could fully dry the taxiway. The tower should have remained open and facilitated takeoffs if not lndgs, and not impeded air travel. Many airports use txwys when the main runway is closed for repairs. In fact, I believe there was not much effort expended to keep the airport open. My takeoff over a 50' obstacle given the wind, temperature and loading is 1300' with a ground roll of 772'. The tree line is set back from the runway end. I also was below gross weight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TKOF FROM TXWY ON CLOSED ARPT.

Narrative: CRE WAS HIT WITH THE WORST SNOWSTORM IN THIS CENTURY ON 12/SAT/89. THE RWY WAS COVERED IN SNOW, AND THERE WAS DRIFTING SNOW. THE ARPT HAS NO SNOW REMOVAL EQUIP. THE PLANE WAS COMPLETELY FREE OF ICE AND SNOW. THE TWR WAS CLOSED ON 12/MON/89, AND THE FBO CLOSED EARLY. SNOW WAS ALMOST GONE FROM THE TXWY THAT PARALLELED THE RWY. FURTHER THE TXWY WAS PREVIOUSLY A RWY (AS LCLS TOLD ME). GIVEN A STRONG HEADWIND, CLR WX, AND AT LEAST 2000' OF TXWY, I TOOK OFF WITH NO PROB--IN FACT SEVERAL FLTS PRECEDED ME EARLIER IN THE DAY. I OBSERVED THEM AND DETERMINED THAT THE LENGTH WAS ADEQUATE. FURTHER I WAITED UNTIL LATER IN THE DAY SO THAT THE ABOVE FREEZING TEMP COULD FULLY DRY THE TXWY. THE TWR SHOULD HAVE REMAINED OPEN AND FACILITATED TKOFS IF NOT LNDGS, AND NOT IMPEDED AIR TRAVEL. MANY ARPTS USE TXWYS WHEN THE MAIN RWY IS CLOSED FOR REPAIRS. IN FACT, I BELIEVE THERE WAS NOT MUCH EFFORT EXPENDED TO KEEP THE ARPT OPEN. MY TKOF OVER A 50' OBSTACLE GIVEN THE WIND, TEMP AND LOADING IS 1300' WITH A GND ROLL OF 772'. THE TREE LINE IS SET BACK FROM THE RWY END. I ALSO WAS BELOW GROSS WT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.