<< >> NASA ASRS Report 382520, September 1997

Pilot of an atx cargo C172 became confused at night and took off on the wrong runway than cleared at an intersection where 2 runways crossed.

Attributes
ACN	382520
Time
Date	199709
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eug
State Reference	OR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 960 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	382520
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : 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:

Was cleared for intersection departure runway 16 but turned onto runway 21 by mistake and unknowingly departed runway 21. Caught mistake once airborne. The intersection at night of runways 21 and 16 is confusing. Multiple txwys and runway exits and entrances. I could have avoided the mistake by double-checking directional gyroscope to runway heading. This would have provided a positive indication of departure. Problem was discovered after climb out. It is unknown if tower caught the mistake. I don't think that they did. No other traffic was involved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN ATX CARGO C172 BECAME CONFUSED AT NIGHT AND TOOK OFF ON THE WRONG RWY THAN CLRED AT AN INTXN WHERE 2 RWYS CROSSED.

Narrative: WAS CLRED FOR INTXN DEP RWY 16 BUT TURNED ONTO RWY 21 BY MISTAKE AND UNKNOWINGLY DEPARTED RWY 21. CAUGHT MISTAKE ONCE AIRBORNE. THE INTXN AT NIGHT OF RWYS 21 AND 16 IS CONFUSING. MULTIPLE TXWYS AND RWY EXITS AND ENTRANCES. I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE MISTAKE BY DOUBLE-CHKING DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE TO RWY HEADING. THIS WOULD HAVE PROVIDED A POSITIVE INDICATION OF DEP. PROB WAS DISCOVERED AFTER CLBOUT. IT IS UNKNOWN IF TWR CAUGHT THE MISTAKE. I DON'T THINK THAT THEY DID. NO OTHER TFC WAS INVOLVED.

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.