An air carrier medium large transport took off on a taxiway.

Attributes
ACN	256873
Time
Date	199311
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
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 : 6 flight time total : 4000
ASRS Report	256873
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 145 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	256672
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified
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:

Poor visibility caused by rain and poor light conditions were contributing factors to cause us to misident the outer taxiway for runway 36R. We did not know there had been a problem on takeoff until we were informed during the flight by SELCAL from our company. Being unfamiliar with the apt was also a factor. Supplemental information from acn 256672: unfamiliarity with airport. I hadn't been there for 6 months and first officer had never been there. Poor airport markings. At taxiway G and runway 35 there is a sign on the right for runway 36R but no sign for F. I think tower should be able to tell what an aircraft's position is on the airport. Supplemental information from acn 257235: the towers across the united states keep the lights too low in low visibility, wet surface conditions and poor lighting conditions. To reduce 'pilot error,' the lights, (i.e., runway, taxiway and other, not to include REIL or sf), should be left in high and if asked to be lower for landing aircraft be stepped up once clear of runway. The hardest part of the job, day to day, is maneuvering on the airport surface.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG TOOK OFF ON A TXWY.

Narrative: POOR VISIBILITY CAUSED BY RAIN AND POOR LIGHT CONDITIONS WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO CAUSE US TO MISIDENT THE OUTER TXWY FOR RWY 36R. WE DID NOT KNOW THERE HAD BEEN A PROB ON TKOF UNTIL WE WERE INFORMED DURING THE FLT BY SELCAL FROM OUR COMPANY. BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE APT WAS ALSO A FACTOR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 256672: UNFAMILIARITY WITH ARPT. I HADN'T BEEN THERE FOR 6 MONTHS AND FO HAD NEVER BEEN THERE. POOR ARPT MARKINGS. AT TXWY G AND RWY 35 THERE IS A SIGN ON THE R FOR RWY 36R BUT NO SIGN FOR F. I THINK TWR SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT AN ACFT'S POS IS ON THE ARPT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 257235: THE TWRS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES KEEP THE LIGHTS TOO LOW IN LOW VISIBILITY, WET SURFACE CONDITIONS AND POOR LIGHTING CONDITIONS. TO REDUCE 'PLT ERROR,' THE LIGHTS, (I.E., RWY, TXWY AND OTHER, NOT TO INCLUDE REIL OR SF), SHOULD BE LEFT IN HIGH AND IF ASKED TO BE LOWER FOR LNDG ACFT BE STEPPED UP ONCE CLR OF RWY. THE HARDEST PART OF THE JOB, DAY TO DAY, IS MANEUVERING ON THE ARPT SURFACE.

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.