Mooney 20J pilot inadvertently took off on the wrong runway due to reduced visibility caused by a da...

Attributes
ACN	536562
Time
Date	200201
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hrl.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 J (201)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : takeoff roll ground : position and hold
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	536562
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I accidentally took off on runway 31 instead of runway 35R as assigned by ATC. I had taxied south on taxiway F and thought that the runway I had come to was runway 35R. It was dark and foggy (the windshield was wet). I had set my heading bug to 350 degrees before taxiing onto the runway, but I failed to notice it was not centered before taking off. Upon takeoff I thought I had a gyroscope problem until ATC informed me I had used runway 31. They said 'no problem' (there was no other traffic), and I continued. I'm adding an item to my checklist, to 'verify that the heading bug is centered' before adding power. I don't want a repeat of this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MOONEY 20J PLT INADVERTENTLY TOOK OFF ON THE WRONG RWY DUE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY CAUSED BY A DARK AND FOGGY NIGHT.

Narrative: I ACCIDENTALLY TOOK OFF ON RWY 31 INSTEAD OF RWY 35R AS ASSIGNED BY ATC. I HAD TAXIED S ON TXWY F AND THOUGHT THAT THE RWY I HAD COME TO WAS RWY 35R. IT WAS DARK AND FOGGY (THE WINDSHIELD WAS WET). I HAD SET MY HEADING BUG TO 350 DEGS BEFORE TAXIING ONTO THE RWY, BUT I FAILED TO NOTICE IT WAS NOT CTRED BEFORE TAKING OFF. UPON TKOF I THOUGHT I HAD A GYROSCOPE PROB UNTIL ATC INFORMED ME I HAD USED RWY 31. THEY SAID 'NO PROB' (THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC), AND I CONTINUED. I'M ADDING AN ITEM TO MY CHKLIST, TO 'VERIFY THAT THE HEADING BUG IS CTRED' BEFORE ADDING PWR. I DON'T WANT A REPEAT 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.

Mooney 20J pilot inadvertently took off on the wrong runway due to reduced visibility caused by a dark and foggy night.