Narrative:

This was a reposition leg with only myself and the copilot aboard. We were taxiing for takeoff as shown in the diagram below (from GA ramp). The taxi instructions given to us by ground control were 'taxi to runway 25.' although I am the captain and was sitting in the left seat, I was not the PF on this leg, and was acting as the copilot. During the taxi, I had my head down most of the time. I was programming our route, reading checklists, arranging the cockpit, noting the times, and positioning the chairs. As we came to a stop, holding short of the runway, we did a before takeoff briefing and called the tower for the takeoff clearance. Tower responded 'cleared for takeoff runway 28,' to which we replied 'roger, cleared to go on taxiway 28.' as my copilot began taxiing onto the runway, I was setting both our heading bugs to 280 degrees (for my heading). We completed the before takeoff checklist, and as he started bringing the power up, I made a final glance across the flight instruments, and noticed that our heading was 330 degrees, not 280 degrees. We were on runway 33, not runway 28! I immediately aborted the takeoff and instructed my copilot to get the airplane off runway 33 and onto runway 28, and back taxi into position on runway 28. I also immediately contacted the tower and advised them that we had taken a wrong turn and would like approval to back taxi on runway 28. Tower responded 'that is approved, but the next time you plan on taxiing on runway 33, let me know!' it was obvious he was aware of our mistake. Some contributing factors were my copilot's neglect to properly follow the taxi instructions, my neglect to realize he hadn't, and most importantly, both our neglect to follow SOP's. We could clearly have reviewed the taxi diagram before taxiing, completed some of the pre-departure tasks on the ramp (prior to taxi), and briefed each other on what to expect before it happens. Instead, our actions led us to a situation with a lot of distrs and some confusion which, in turn, caused us to make a stupid mistake that could easily have been avoided. It is my responsibility, as the captain, to insure the flight is conducted in a safe manner, and within our company SOP's. By focusing more on this in the future, I'm sure mistakes like this are much less likely to occur.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF C550 INADVERTENTLY STARTED TKOF ROLL ON RWY 33 AT SYR WHEN CLRED ON RWY 28.

Narrative: THIS WAS A REPOSITION LEG WITH ONLY MYSELF AND THE COPLT ABOARD. WE WERE TAXIING FOR TKOF AS SHOWN IN THE DIAGRAM BELOW (FROM GA RAMP). THE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO US BY GND CTL WERE 'TAXI TO RWY 25.' ALTHOUGH I AM THE CAPT AND WAS SITTING IN THE L SEAT, I WAS NOT THE PF ON THIS LEG, AND WAS ACTING AS THE COPLT. DURING THE TAXI, I HAD MY HEAD DOWN MOST OF THE TIME. I WAS PROGRAMMING OUR RTE, READING CHKLISTS, ARRANGING THE COCKPIT, NOTING THE TIMES, AND POSITIONING THE CHAIRS. AS WE CAME TO A STOP, HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY, WE DID A BEFORE TKOF BRIEFING AND CALLED THE TWR FOR THE TKOF CLRNC. TWR RESPONDED 'CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 28,' TO WHICH WE REPLIED 'ROGER, CLRED TO GO ON TXWY 28.' AS MY COPLT BEGAN TAXIING ONTO THE RWY, I WAS SETTING BOTH OUR HDG BUGS TO 280 DEGS (FOR MY HDG). WE COMPLETED THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST, AND AS HE STARTED BRINGING THE PWR UP, I MADE A FINAL GLANCE ACROSS THE FLT INSTS, AND NOTICED THAT OUR HDG WAS 330 DEGS, NOT 280 DEGS. WE WERE ON RWY 33, NOT RWY 28! I IMMEDIATELY ABORTED THE TKOF AND INSTRUCTED MY COPLT TO GET THE AIRPLANE OFF RWY 33 AND ONTO RWY 28, AND BACK TAXI INTO POS ON RWY 28. I ALSO IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE TWR AND ADVISED THEM THAT WE HAD TAKEN A WRONG TURN AND WOULD LIKE APPROVAL TO BACK TAXI ON RWY 28. TWR RESPONDED 'THAT IS APPROVED, BUT THE NEXT TIME YOU PLAN ON TAXIING ON RWY 33, LET ME KNOW!' IT WAS OBVIOUS HE WAS AWARE OF OUR MISTAKE. SOME CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE MY COPLT'S NEGLECT TO PROPERLY FOLLOW THE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS, MY NEGLECT TO REALIZE HE HADN'T, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, BOTH OUR NEGLECT TO FOLLOW SOP'S. WE COULD CLRLY HAVE REVIEWED THE TAXI DIAGRAM BEFORE TAXIING, COMPLETED SOME OF THE PRE-DEP TASKS ON THE RAMP (PRIOR TO TAXI), AND BRIEFED EACH OTHER ON WHAT TO EXPECT BEFORE IT HAPPENS. INSTEAD, OUR ACTIONS LED US TO A SIT WITH A LOT OF DISTRS AND SOME CONFUSION WHICH, IN TURN, CAUSED US TO MAKE A STUPID MISTAKE THAT COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY, AS THE CAPT, TO INSURE THE FLT IS CONDUCTED IN A SAFE MANNER, AND WITHIN OUR COMPANY SOP'S. BY FOCUSING MORE ON THIS IN THE FUTURE, I'M SURE MISTAKES LIKE THIS ARE MUCH LESS LIKELY TO OCCUR.

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.