Reporter takeoff from wrong runway at syr.

Attributes
ACN	162688
Time
Date	199011
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : syr
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : syr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 10200 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	162688
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In my belief the following were contributing factors to this incident. The fact that the WX was below ATIS reported WX and deteriorating rapidly. The windshield and side glass of the aircraft was covered with heavy snow which was saturated with water from mixed rain. The fact that there was no way to clear the side glass and the bleed air system was inadequate for the windshield under the current condition. There was a partial malfunction of the pilots directional gyro with no warning flags. This condition confirmed later on ground. Two runways forming an apex with very bright lights on the runway not in use during a WX condition of severely restr visibility. Pilot being heavily loaded down due to the restriction to visibility mentioned in 2 and 3 above, plus airframe icing not anticipated before the start of taxi. Very poor communications adding to the pilot load, (believed to be due to heavy wet snow on antennas). The communications immediately improved upon becoming airborne.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER TKOF FROM WRONG RWY AT SYR.

Narrative: IN MY BELIEF THE FOLLOWING WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS INCIDENT. THE FACT THAT THE WX WAS BELOW ATIS RPTED WX AND DETERIORATING RAPIDLY. THE WINDSHIELD AND SIDE GLASS OF THE ACFT WAS COVERED WITH HVY SNOW WHICH WAS SATURATED WITH WATER FROM MIXED RAIN. THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO CLR THE SIDE GLASS AND THE BLEED AIR SYSTEM WAS INADEQUATE FOR THE WINDSHIELD UNDER THE CURRENT CONDITION. THERE WAS A PARTIAL MALFUNCTION OF THE PLTS DIRECTIONAL GYRO WITH NO WARNING FLAGS. THIS CONDITION CONFIRMED LATER ON GND. TWO RWYS FORMING AN APEX WITH VERY BRIGHT LIGHTS ON THE RWY NOT IN USE DURING A WX CONDITION OF SEVERELY RESTR VISIBILITY. PLT BEING HEAVILY LOADED DOWN DUE TO THE RESTRICTION TO VISIBILITY MENTIONED IN 2 AND 3 ABOVE, PLUS AIRFRAME ICING NOT ANTICIPATED BEFORE THE START OF TAXI. VERY POOR COMS ADDING TO THE PLT LOAD, (BELIEVED TO BE DUE TO HVY WET SNOW ON ANTENNAS). THE COMS IMMEDIATELY IMPROVED UPON BECOMING AIRBORNE.

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.