Wrong runway takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	159696
Time
Date	199010
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	159696
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Atlanta hartsfield airport, 10/90, 10, hangar one ramp. Ground control clears me to taxi to runway 8R. Upon my request, I get an intersection departure on runway 8R from intersection dixie. As I was taxiing southbound on taxiway dixie and while crossing 8L/26R, some lights caught me attention at the approach end of 26R/left. These lights were to my left, east of my position. At first, I thought these lights were the light of an aircraft on position, ready for takeoff. (Afterwards, I realized that these lights actually belonged to some construction equipment on 8L/26R). Holding short of 8R/26L at dixie, ground control instructed me to contact tower on 119.5. Tower then cleared me for takeoff on runway 8R. Having still in mind the lights I saw at the left/east end of the runway I made a right turn on the runway and took off, when I should have made a left turn eward on the runway. As I was climbing out, just a few hundred ft above the runway, I noticed I was on a 270 degree heading. That is when I realized I had used the wrong runway. I then advised tower. No accident, incident, or go around involved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG RWY TKOF.

Narrative: ATLANTA HARTSFIELD ARPT, 10/90, 10, HANGAR ONE RAMP. GND CTL CLRS ME TO TAXI TO RWY 8R. UPON MY REQUEST, I GET AN INTXN DEP ON RWY 8R FROM INTXN DIXIE. AS I WAS TAXIING SBND ON TXWY DIXIE AND WHILE XING 8L/26R, SOME LIGHTS CAUGHT ME ATTN AT THE APCH END OF 26R/L. THESE LIGHTS WERE TO MY L, E OF MY POS. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT THESE LIGHTS WERE THE LIGHT OF AN ACFT ON POS, READY FOR TKOF. (AFTERWARDS, I REALIZED THAT THESE LIGHTS ACTUALLY BELONGED TO SOME CONSTRUCTION EQUIP ON 8L/26R). HOLDING SHORT OF 8R/26L AT DIXIE, GND CTL INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT TWR ON 119.5. TWR THEN CLRED ME FOR TKOF ON RWY 8R. HAVING STILL IN MIND THE LIGHTS I SAW AT THE L/E END OF THE RWY I MADE A R TURN ON THE RWY AND TOOK OFF, WHEN I SHOULD HAVE MADE A L TURN EWARD ON THE RWY. AS I WAS CLBING OUT, JUST A FEW HUNDRED FT ABOVE THE RWY, I NOTICED I WAS ON A 270 DEG HDG. THAT IS WHEN I REALIZED I HAD USED THE WRONG RWY. I THEN ADVISED TWR. NO ACCIDENT, INCIDENT, OR GO AROUND INVOLVED.

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.