B737 crew mistook runway edge lights for runway center line lights on takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	529048
Time
Date	200111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	529048
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	529049
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Takeoff from runway edge. Aircraft was lined up on runway edge lights which were mistaken for centerline lights. As speed increased I noticed a rough ride and steered to the left toward the actual centerline. I was still under the impression that I was near the centerline. After rotation the first officer informed me that we had taken off from the runway edge. Confusion due to the amount of lights and the abundance of pavement at ZZZ. Recommend additional note on commercial charts to be wary of lights and pavement especially at night. Supplemental information from acn 529049: while departing from ZZZ airport on runway we began the takeoff roll as I finished the before takeoff checklist. The captain called to check power and after finishing my scan and airspeed call at 100 KTS I glanced outside and began to realize a problem. I checked the engines and airspeed and looked outside to see the problem. As we hit V1, I realized we were on the edge lights.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW MISTOOK RWY EDGE LIGHTS FOR RWY CENTER LINE LIGHTS ON TKOF.

Narrative: TKOF FROM RWY EDGE. ACFT WAS LINED UP ON RWY EDGE LIGHTS WHICH WERE MISTAKEN FOR CENTERLINE LIGHTS. AS SPEED INCREASED I NOTICED A ROUGH RIDE AND STEERED TO THE LEFT TOWARD THE ACTUAL CENTERLINE. I WAS STILL UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT I WAS NEAR THE CENTERLINE. AFTER ROTATION THE FO INFORMED ME THAT WE HAD TAKEN OFF FROM THE RWY EDGE. CONFUSION DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF LIGHTS AND THE ABUNDANCE OF PAVEMENT AT ZZZ. RECOMMEND ADDITIONAL NOTE ON COMMERCIAL CHARTS TO BE WARY OF LIGHTS AND PAVEMENT ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 529049: WHILE DEPARTING FROM ZZZ ARPT ON RWY WE BEGAN THE TKOF ROLL AS I FINISHED THE BEFORE TKOF CHECKLIST. THE CAPT CALLED TO CHECK PWR AND AFTER FINISHING MY SCAN AND AIRSPEED CALL AT 100 KTS I GLANCED OUTSIDE AND BEGAN TO REALIZE A PROB. I CHECKED THE ENGS AND AIRSPEED AND LOOKED OUTSIDE TO SEE THE PROB. AS WE HIT V1, I REALIZED WE WERE ON THE EDGE LIGHTS.

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.