Commuter flight aligns aircraft with runway edge lights believing it is centerline lighting.

Attributes
ACN	166529
Time
Date	199012
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : san
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	166529
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer, as PF, was given control of aircraft approaching displaced threshold runway 27 san. Cleared for takeoff. PF lined up aircraft on what appeared to be runway centerline and began takeoff roll. It was immediately determined that aircraft was lined up on runway prior to reaching displaced threshold. Takeoff was continued with aircraft control being maintained at all times and the flight continued uneventfully and normally. Taxiway and runway lighting at extreme approach end of runway 27 could be improved--most notably runway centerline lighting brighter in area before displaced threshold. Crew situational awareness could have been exercised. Obviously crew vigilance could have been improved however it must be noted that taxiway and runway markings and lighting could be considerably improved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FLT ALIGNS ACFT WITH RWY EDGE LIGHTS BELIEVING IT IS CENTERLINE LIGHTING.

Narrative: F/O, AS PF, WAS GIVEN CTL OF ACFT APCHING DISPLACED THRESHOLD RWY 27 SAN. CLRED FOR TKOF. PF LINED UP ACFT ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE RWY CENTERLINE AND BEGAN TKOF ROLL. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY DETERMINED THAT ACFT WAS LINED UP ON RWY PRIOR TO REACHING DISPLACED THRESHOLD. TKOF WAS CONTINUED WITH ACFT CTL BEING MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES AND THE FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY AND NORMALLY. TXWY AND RWY LIGHTING AT EXTREME APCH END OF RWY 27 COULD BE IMPROVED--MOST NOTABLY RWY CENTERLINE LIGHTING BRIGHTER IN AREA BEFORE DISPLACED THRESHOLD. CREW SITUATIONAL AWARENESS COULD HAVE BEEN EXERCISED. OBVIOUSLY CREW VIGILANCE COULD HAVE BEEN IMPROVED HOWEVER IT MUST BE NOTED THAT TXWY AND RWY MARKINGS AND LIGHTING COULD BE CONSIDERABLY IMPROVED.

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.