Narrative:

I decided to fly on this day despite the busy traffic conditions. It was busy because of the fly-in. The reason I decided to fly was because I was behind on my CFI flight training and I needed to practice lndgs from the right seat. I had completed 4 circuits in the traffic pattern on runway 2 which was the active runway. During that time several other planes had either taken off or landed. As I was taxiing toward the departure end of runway 2 (on the taxiway) for another takeoff, I noticed another aircraft on downwind for runway 2. I had not heard any other aircraft report in the traffic pattern, although the CTAF was congested with xmissions from other nearby airports, so other xmissions may have been stepped on. I determined that I could safely depart in front of the aircraft on downwind and I made a brief check of the final approach area. The aircraft I had in sight was just starting the base turn from downwind as I began to take the runway. When I got established on the centerline, another aircraft came on the frequency and angrily reported short final, telling me to get out of his way. He then inquired other pilots about my tail number. I immediately added full power and took off, never seeing this 'new' airplane. This could have been the aircraft I had in sight. I'm not sure. I then apologized to the aircraft behind me. I shouldn't have let hazardous altitudes govern my behavior. I should have made a more thorough check of final before takeoff. I shouldn't have let myself get rushed by the aircraft on downwind. I also shouldn't have let a busy schedule impair my judgement on whether or not to fly that day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 DEPARTS AN UNCTLED FIELD AFTER CLRING THE AREA, LATER TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT ON SHORT FINAL.

Narrative: I DECIDED TO FLY ON THIS DAY DESPITE THE BUSY TFC CONDITIONS. IT WAS BUSY BECAUSE OF THE FLY-IN. THE REASON I DECIDED TO FLY WAS BECAUSE I WAS BEHIND ON MY CFI FLT TRAINING AND I NEEDED TO PRACTICE LNDGS FROM THE R SEAT. I HAD COMPLETED 4 CIRCUITS IN THE TFC PATTERN ON RWY 2 WHICH WAS THE ACTIVE RWY. DURING THAT TIME SEVERAL OTHER PLANES HAD EITHER TAKEN OFF OR LANDED. AS I WAS TAXIING TOWARD THE DEP END OF RWY 2 (ON THE TXWY) FOR ANOTHER TKOF, I NOTICED ANOTHER ACFT ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 2. I HAD NOT HEARD ANY OTHER ACFT RPT IN THE TFC PATTERN, ALTHOUGH THE CTAF WAS CONGESTED WITH XMISSIONS FROM OTHER NEARBY ARPTS, SO OTHER XMISSIONS MAY HAVE BEEN STEPPED ON. I DETERMINED THAT I COULD SAFELY DEPART IN FRONT OF THE ACFT ON DOWNWIND AND I MADE A BRIEF CHK OF THE FINAL APCH AREA. THE ACFT I HAD IN SIGHT WAS JUST STARTING THE BASE TURN FROM DOWNWIND AS I BEGAN TO TAKE THE RWY. WHEN I GOT ESTABLISHED ON THE CTRLINE, ANOTHER ACFT CAME ON THE FREQ AND ANGRILY RPTED SHORT FINAL, TELLING ME TO GET OUT OF HIS WAY. HE THEN INQUIRED OTHER PLTS ABOUT MY TAIL NUMBER. I IMMEDIATELY ADDED FULL PWR AND TOOK OFF, NEVER SEEING THIS 'NEW' AIRPLANE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN THE ACFT I HAD IN SIGHT. I'M NOT SURE. I THEN APOLOGIZED TO THE ACFT BEHIND ME. I SHOULDN'T HAVE LET HAZARDOUS ALTS GOVERN MY BEHAVIOR. I SHOULD HAVE MADE A MORE THOROUGH CHK OF FINAL BEFORE TKOF. I SHOULDN'T HAVE LET MYSELF GET RUSHED BY THE ACFT ON DOWNWIND. I ALSO SHOULDN'T HAVE LET A BUSY SCHEDULE IMPAIR MY JUDGEMENT ON WHETHER OR NOT TO FLY THAT DAY.

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.