Pilot departed from wrong runway.

Attributes
ACN	316111
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : toa
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tdz
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	316111
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was cleared to depart to the southeast from runway 11R. Instead I departed to the northwest from runway 29L. I briefly listened to the ATIS but it didn't register. I almost always depart using runway 29L and did it again out of habit. Compounding the problem was the fact that the radio was 'scratchy.' I just did what I did by force of habit rather than thinking and being mentally alert. In the future I will be sure to verify the active runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT DEPARTED FROM WRONG RWY.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO DEPART TO THE SE FROM RWY 11R. INSTEAD I DEPARTED TO THE NW FROM RWY 29L. I BRIEFLY LISTENED TO THE ATIS BUT IT DIDN'T REGISTER. I ALMOST ALWAYS DEPART USING RWY 29L AND DID IT AGAIN OUT OF HABIT. COMPOUNDING THE PROB WAS THE FACT THAT THE RADIO WAS 'SCRATCHY.' I JUST DID WHAT I DID BY FORCE OF HABIT RATHER THAN THINKING AND BEING MENTALLY ALERT. IN THE FUTURE I WILL BE SURE TO VERIFY THE ACTIVE RWY.

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.