Narrative:

I lined the aircraft on the wrong runway (32) which shares a common takeoff point with runway 34R. As I was lining up aircraft, I immediately noted the mistake (heading pointer, runway marking and then a call from ATC tower). I was cleared to taxi around to runway 34R and made a normal (red-faced) takeoff. Chain of events: 1 engine taxi from w-ramp to runway 34R. Note: normal runway 34L/16R closed. After crossing 34L I called for first officer to start engine #1 (point #1) after start checklist (point #2) southwest to tower at point #3. On frequency tower was already clearing for takeoff, although we had not requested 'ready for takeoff.' first officer acknowledged and I called for 'before takeoff checklist' (point #4). We both felt rushed, lining up the aircraft and following the checklist. I was in and out of the cockpit; first officer head in the cockpit. Correction actions: 1) all checklist actions completely prior to taking the runway, especially 2-M aircraft. 2) better line of sight taxi and runway marking. 3) at common runway takeoff points, painted guidlines with runway #south taxiway to runway. Human factors: 1) both pilots had good rest on layover, first flight of the day. 2) rushed for takeoff, heads in cockpit. 3) captain and first officer had flown together. Supplemental information from acn 179339: to delay starting the #1 engine, taxiing with the #2 engine only due to a rather lengthy taxi to runway 34R. Our company checklists and procedures allow for this. However, good judgement dictates allowing adequate time to start the remaining engine, run all checklists and ensure proper configns of the aircraft prior to reaching the departure runway; or in any case, before requesting or accepting clearance for takeoff. In a best case situation, this period of time is very busy for the copilot for he also monitors taxi progress, monitors ATC--switching to tower frequency as appropriate, and also informs the F/a crew to be seated for takeoff via passenger announcement. I switched to tower frequency just in time to hear our takeoff clearance issued, thought we had not yet reached our runway. The intent of the tower controller was that we should take a rolling departure from taxi straight into takeoff. I confirmed our takeoff clearance while finishing my other checklist items, correcting the cockpit for takeoff confign. The captain lined up the aircraft on runway 32 and began to add takeoff thrust before we noticed that we were on the wrong runway. A low speed abort was executed and we then exited. No other aircraft were affected in this situation. The tower controller issuing his clearance prematurely assuming our familiarity with the airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG LINED UP ON THE WRONG RWY AT SLC FOR TKOF. ERROR NOTICED BEFORE TKOF ROLL BEGAN.

Narrative: I LINED THE ACFT ON THE WRONG RWY (32) WHICH SHARES A COMMON TKOF POINT WITH RWY 34R. AS I WAS LINING UP ACFT, I IMMEDIATELY NOTED THE MISTAKE (HDG POINTER, RWY MARKING AND THEN A CALL FROM ATC TWR). I WAS CLRED TO TAXI AROUND TO RWY 34R AND MADE A NORMAL (RED-FACED) TKOF. CHAIN OF EVENTS: 1 ENG TAXI FROM W-RAMP TO RWY 34R. NOTE: NORMAL RWY 34L/16R CLOSED. AFTER XING 34L I CALLED FOR F/O TO START ENG #1 (POINT #1) AFTER START CHKLIST (POINT #2) SW TO TWR AT POINT #3. ON FREQ TWR WAS ALREADY CLRING FOR TKOF, ALTHOUGH WE HAD NOT REQUESTED 'READY FOR TKOF.' F/O ACKNOWLEDGED AND I CALLED FOR 'BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST' (POINT #4). WE BOTH FELT RUSHED, LINING UP THE ACFT AND FOLLOWING THE CHKLIST. I WAS IN AND OUT OF THE COCKPIT; F/O HEAD IN THE COCKPIT. CORRECTION ACTIONS: 1) ALL CHKLIST ACTIONS COMPLETELY PRIOR TO TAKING THE RWY, ESPECIALLY 2-M ACFT. 2) BETTER LINE OF SIGHT TAXI AND RWY MARKING. 3) AT COMMON RWY TKOF POINTS, PAINTED GUIDLINES WITH RWY #S TXWY TO RWY. HUMAN FACTORS: 1) BOTH PLTS HAD GOOD REST ON LAYOVER, FIRST FLT OF THE DAY. 2) RUSHED FOR TKOF, HEADS IN COCKPIT. 3) CAPT AND F/O HAD FLOWN TOGETHER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 179339: TO DELAY STARTING THE #1 ENG, TAXIING WITH THE #2 ENG ONLY DUE TO A RATHER LENGTHY TAXI TO RWY 34R. OUR COMPANY CHKLISTS AND PROCS ALLOW FOR THIS. HOWEVER, GOOD JUDGEMENT DICTATES ALLOWING ADEQUATE TIME TO START THE REMAINING ENG, RUN ALL CHKLISTS AND ENSURE PROPER CONFIGNS OF THE ACFT PRIOR TO REACHING THE DEP RWY; OR IN ANY CASE, BEFORE REQUESTING OR ACCEPTING CLRNC FOR TKOF. IN A BEST CASE SITUATION, THIS PERIOD OF TIME IS VERY BUSY FOR THE COPLT FOR HE ALSO MONITORS TAXI PROGRESS, MONITORS ATC--SWITCHING TO TWR FREQ AS APPROPRIATE, AND ALSO INFORMS THE F/A CREW TO BE SEATED FOR TKOF VIA PAX ANNOUNCEMENT. I SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ JUST IN TIME TO HEAR OUR TKOF CLRNC ISSUED, THOUGHT WE HAD NOT YET REACHED OUR RWY. THE INTENT OF THE TWR CTLR WAS THAT WE SHOULD TAKE A ROLLING DEP FROM TAXI STRAIGHT INTO TKOF. I CONFIRMED OUR TKOF CLRNC WHILE FINISHING MY OTHER CHKLIST ITEMS, CORRECTING THE COCKPIT FOR TKOF CONFIGN. THE CAPT LINED UP THE ACFT ON RWY 32 AND BEGAN TO ADD TKOF THRUST BEFORE WE NOTICED THAT WE WERE ON THE WRONG RWY. A LOW SPD ABORT WAS EXECUTED AND WE THEN EXITED. NO OTHER ACFT WERE AFFECTED IN THIS SITUATION. THE TWR CTLR ISSUING HIS CLRNC PREMATURELY ASSUMING OUR FAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT.

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.