Narrative:

Airshow demonstration area at taxiway D, takeoff position at taxiway a. Ground control instructed me to taxi to runway 17. I requested intersection takeoff at taxiway a to southwest (runway 22). I lined up on runway 22 and contacted tower, awaiting instructions. Was expecting either: takeoff clearance or taxi instruction to runway 17. Got takeoff clearance. (I thought for runway 22). No taxi instructions reinforced this. I took off on runway 22. Radio squeal at this time, prevented tower from contacting me with further instructions. This squeal turned out to be broken connection on helicopter preparing for takeoff turning on radio at same time as tower apparently was transmitting. (I talked to crew chief of helicopter later). Conclusion and suggestions: I should listen more closely to instruction details, to overcome preconceived expectations. This is difficult. Tower should not give takeoff clearance if plane not at takeoff point. They expect, and should be last instructions. There was no danger involved -- no other traffic. Separate occurrence of stuck microphone in other plane prevented tower correction. This was unpredictable event. Request for takeoff at intersection south of C138 (taxiway a) was apparently not translated to be 4/22 - 13/31 intersection, in tower. This was visible from tower, and I thought was clear description. This never happened to me before, and I was surprised when tower informed me of error. I am trying to contact tower personnel to get their side of this.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR REQUESTED A TKOF RWY AND LINED UP ON IT EXPECTING TWR TO EITHER CLR HIM FOR TKOF OR GIVE FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. TWR GAVE TKOF CLRNC AND COINCIDENTAL WITH RPTR'S TKOF ROLL WAS A FREQ BLOCK FROM ANOTHER ACFT. TWR INFORMED RPTR THAT HE HAD TAKEN OFF ON THE WRONG RWY. MISCOM BTWN TWR AND PLT.

Narrative: AIRSHOW DEMONSTRATION AREA AT TXWY D, TKOF POS AT TXWY A. GND CTL INSTRUCTED ME TO TAXI TO RWY 17. I REQUESTED INTXN TKOF AT TXWY A TO SW (RWY 22). I LINED UP ON RWY 22 AND CONTACTED TWR, AWAITING INSTRUCTIONS. WAS EXPECTING EITHER: TKOF CLRNC OR TAXI INSTRUCTION TO RWY 17. GOT TKOF CLRNC. (I THOUGHT FOR RWY 22). NO TAXI INSTRUCTIONS REINFORCED THIS. I TOOK OFF ON RWY 22. RADIO SQUEAL AT THIS TIME, PREVENTED TWR FROM CONTACTING ME WITH FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. THIS SQUEAL TURNED OUT TO BE BROKEN CONNECTION ON HELI PREPARING FOR TKOF TURNING ON RADIO AT SAME TIME AS TWR APPARENTLY WAS XMITTING. (I TALKED TO CREW CHIEF OF HELI LATER). CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS: I SHOULD LISTEN MORE CLOSELY TO INSTRUCTION DETAILS, TO OVERCOME PRECONCEIVED EXPECTATIONS. THIS IS DIFFICULT. TWR SHOULD NOT GIVE TKOF CLRNC IF PLANE NOT AT TKOF POINT. THEY EXPECT, AND SHOULD BE LAST INSTRUCTIONS. THERE WAS NO DANGER INVOLVED -- NO OTHER TFC. SEPARATE OCCURRENCE OF STUCK MIKE IN OTHER PLANE PREVENTED TWR CORRECTION. THIS WAS UNPREDICTABLE EVENT. REQUEST FOR TKOF AT INTXN S OF C138 (TXWY A) WAS APPARENTLY NOT TRANSLATED TO BE 4/22 - 13/31 INTXN, IN TWR. THIS WAS VISIBLE FROM TWR, AND I THOUGHT WAS CLR DESCRIPTION. THIS NEVER HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE, AND I WAS SURPRISED WHEN TWR INFORMED ME OF ERROR. I AM TRYING TO CONTACT TWR PERSONNEL TO GET THEIR SIDE OF THIS.

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.