PA28 departure from tul is confused and departs in wrong direction.

Attributes
ACN	594933
Time
Date	200309
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tul.airport
State Reference	OK
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	594933
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was attempting to depart tulsa international, runway 36L. I contacted ground for taxi instructions and told them I was unfamiliar with the airport. There was very little traffic in the area, the airport was essentially asleep. I was parked in GA parking on the west side of the field. Upon taxi I was required to turn left, go straight, then around another aircraft (left, right, left) then turn slightly right then left. Takeoff required a 100 yard taxi straight then a right turn onto the runway. I lost situational awareness and turned left. Takeoff was normal. Causes: dumb pilot -- I got confused, because I was unfamiliar with the airport. When I landed, I'd turned off the active runway to the east, but ground sent me back to my destination on the west side of the airport. My mind said I was still on the east side. Ground control -- they did not monitor my taxi as requested, poor job in the tower. Non standard turns -- the taxi route had several turns other than 90 degrees, which contributed to confusion. Result -- takeoff off runway 18R. Fortunately, because it was late, there was no other traffic in the area. Oh, because a private airplane sits low to the ground, the blue taxi lights do not give a good route. It just looks like a sea of blue. Tower help at night is essential.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 DEP FROM TUL IS CONFUSED AND DEPARTS IN WRONG DIRECTION.

Narrative: I WAS ATTEMPTING TO DEPART TULSA INTL, RWY 36L. I CONTACTED GND FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AND TOLD THEM I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TFC IN THE AREA, THE ARPT WAS ESSENTIALLY ASLEEP. I WAS PARKED IN GA PARKING ON THE W SIDE OF THE FIELD. UPON TAXI I WAS REQUIRED TO TURN L, GO STRAIGHT, THEN AROUND ANOTHER ACFT (L, R, L) THEN TURN SLIGHTLY R THEN L. TKOF REQUIRED A 100 YARD TAXI STRAIGHT THEN A R TURN ONTO THE RWY. I LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND TURNED L. TKOF WAS NORMAL. CAUSES: DUMB PLT -- I GOT CONFUSED, BECAUSE I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. WHEN I LANDED, I'D TURNED OFF THE ACTIVE RWY TO THE E, BUT GND SENT ME BACK TO MY DEST ON THE W SIDE OF THE ARPT. MY MIND SAID I WAS STILL ON THE E SIDE. GND CTL -- THEY DID NOT MONITOR MY TAXI AS REQUESTED, POOR JOB IN THE TWR. NON STANDARD TURNS -- THE TAXI RTE HAD SEVERAL TURNS OTHER THAN 90 DEGS, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO CONFUSION. RESULT -- TKOF OFF RWY 18R. FORTUNATELY, BECAUSE IT WAS LATE, THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC IN THE AREA. OH, BECAUSE A PVT AIRPLANE SITS LOW TO THE GND, THE BLUE TAXI LIGHTS DO NOT GIVE A GOOD RTE. IT JUST LOOKS LIKE A SEA OF BLUE. TWR HELP AT NIGHT IS ESSENTIAL.

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.