Flight instructor and student, in small aircraft, take off from wrong runway.

Attributes
ACN	437316
Time
Date	199905
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sba.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	437316
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had received a tower en route clearance at santa barbara airport for runway 25 to torrance airport (toa). I was then cleared to taxi to runway 15L to do my run-up. I was trying to help my student set up for the IFR clearance and in the process was letting him do the radios. When we were ready to depart, he contacted sba tower and received a clearance. I thought I heard 'cleared to takeoff runway 15L,' which we were on and my student began to takeoff on that runway. It seemed odd at the time, but I thought they were trying to expedite our departure on runway 15L so we wouldn't have to circle around south to go to torrance. After lift-off we were informed that we used the wrong runway. Looking back, it makes no sense for them to have me take off from runway 15L when our IFR clearance was for runway 25. I still believe I heard runway 15L, but I now realize that I was doing too many tasks at one time. We were also in a hurry to get the plane back. So, most likely I heard what I wanted to hear instead of what the actual clearance was. To avoid this from happening again, I will make sure that I do one task at a time and would recommend that to other instructors.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT, IN SMA, TAKE OFF FROM WRONG RWY.

Narrative: I HAD RECEIVED A TWR ENRTE CLRNC AT SANTA BARBARA ARPT FOR RWY 25 TO TORRANCE ARPT (TOA). I WAS THEN CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 15L TO DO MY RUN-UP. I WAS TRYING TO HELP MY STUDENT SET UP FOR THE IFR CLRNC AND IN THE PROCESS WAS LETTING HIM DO THE RADIOS. WHEN WE WERE READY TO DEPART, HE CONTACTED SBA TWR AND RECEIVED A CLRNC. I THOUGHT I HEARD 'CLRED TO TKOF RWY 15L,' WHICH WE WERE ON AND MY STUDENT BEGAN TO TKOF ON THAT RWY. IT SEEMED ODD AT THE TIME, BUT I THOUGHT THEY WERE TRYING TO EXPEDITE OUR DEP ON RWY 15L SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO CIRCLE AROUND S TO GO TO TORRANCE. AFTER LIFT-OFF WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE USED THE WRONG RWY. LOOKING BACK, IT MAKES NO SENSE FOR THEM TO HAVE ME TAKE OFF FROM RWY 15L WHEN OUR IFR CLRNC WAS FOR RWY 25. I STILL BELIEVE I HEARD RWY 15L, BUT I NOW REALIZE THAT I WAS DOING TOO MANY TASKS AT ONE TIME. WE WERE ALSO IN A HURRY TO GET THE PLANE BACK. SO, MOST LIKELY I HEARD WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR INSTEAD OF WHAT THE ACTUAL CLRNC WAS. TO AVOID THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, I WILL MAKE SURE THAT I DO ONE TASK AT A TIME AND WOULD RECOMMEND THAT TO OTHER INSTRUCTORS.

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.