Small aircraft requests intersection takeoff. Taxiing onto runway, turns wrong direction and departs...

Attributes
ACN	245723
Time
Date	199307
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mem
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 375 flight time type : 310
ASRS Report	245723
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	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I requested taxi for departure instructions. It was very busy at runway 18L/right with air carrier and military traffic. So I requested midfield at runway 27 (wind 220 at 10/18) off intersection C. When I got to runway 27, I turned right, which is runway 9, and took off and didn't realize I had made a mistake until 50 ft AGL. The reason I think I made this mistake is because I have departed runway 9 at intersection C many times before, and out of habit, I turned right to runway 9 instead of runway 27.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA REQUESTS INTXN TKOF. TAXIING ONTO RWY, TURNS WRONG DIRECTION AND DEPARTS.

Narrative: I REQUESTED TAXI FOR DEP INSTRUCTIONS. IT WAS VERY BUSY AT RWY 18L/R WITH ACR AND MIL TFC. SO I REQUESTED MIDFIELD AT RWY 27 (WIND 220 AT 10/18) OFF INTXN C. WHEN I GOT TO RWY 27, I TURNED R, WHICH IS RWY 9, AND TOOK OFF AND DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD MADE A MISTAKE UNTIL 50 FT AGL. THE REASON I THINK I MADE THIS MISTAKE IS BECAUSE I HAVE DEPARTED RWY 9 AT INTXN C MANY TIMES BEFORE, AND OUT OF HABIT, I TURNED R TO RWY 9 INSTEAD OF RWY 27.

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.