Narrative:

On a clear calm day with little traffic, I was taxiing northbound on taxiway a for a south departure on runway 16R at rno. The aircraft I was flying, an RV4, has considerable high performance takeoff capability, ie, 300 ft of runway required. I requested and was cleared for an intersection J departure onto runway 16R. I turned eastbound on taxiway J, followed by an inadvertent turn sbound on taxiway B, a parallel taxiway. At which point, having been cleared for takeoff, I applied power for my departure. I realized my mistake almost immediately, however, with this particular aircraft, that meant that I was already 1/2 way through my takeoff roll. I elected to continue. I was in immediate contact with the tower. There was no threat to any other aircraft nor property. As to contributing factors, I have been into and out of rno many times over the yrs. However, most recently there has been considerable work on both the txwys and runways. They have been strengthened and enlarged. Taxiway B is probably as wide or wider than the runway where the aircraft is based, mev, and being parallel to my northbound taxiway a, it is easier to mistake it for a runway. In addition, the aircraft being conventional geared, it is more difficult to note the taxiway markings and coloring.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TXWY TKOF BY PLT OF AN AMATEUR BUILT RV4.

Narrative: ON A CLR CALM DAY WITH LITTLE TFC, I WAS TAXIING NBOUND ON TXWY A FOR A S DEP ON RWY 16R AT RNO. THE ACFT I WAS FLYING, AN RV4, HAS CONSIDERABLE HIGH PERFORMANCE TKOF CAPABILITY, IE, 300 FT OF RWY REQUIRED. I REQUESTED AND WAS CLRED FOR AN INTXN J DEP ONTO RWY 16R. I TURNED EBOUND ON TXWY J, FOLLOWED BY AN INADVERTENT TURN SBOUND ON TXWY B, A PARALLEL TXWY. AT WHICH POINT, HAVING BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF, I APPLIED PWR FOR MY DEP. I REALIZED MY MISTAKE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, HOWEVER, WITH THIS PARTICULAR ACFT, THAT MEANT THAT I WAS ALREADY 1/2 WAY THROUGH MY TKOF ROLL. I ELECTED TO CONTINUE. I WAS IN IMMEDIATE CONTACT WITH THE TWR. THERE WAS NO THREAT TO ANY OTHER ACFT NOR PROPERTY. AS TO CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, I HAVE BEEN INTO AND OUT OF RNO MANY TIMES OVER THE YRS. HOWEVER, MOST RECENTLY THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE WORK ON BOTH THE TXWYS AND RWYS. THEY HAVE BEEN STRENGTHENED AND ENLARGED. TXWY B IS PROBABLY AS WIDE OR WIDER THAN THE RWY WHERE THE ACFT IS BASED, MEV, AND BEING PARALLEL TO MY NBOUND TXWY A, IT IS EASIER TO MISTAKE IT FOR A RWY. IN ADDITION, THE ACFT BEING CONVENTIONAL GEARED, IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO NOTE THE TXWY MARKINGS AND COLORING.

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.