Narrative:

We taxied onto the runway at intersection H, instead of full length, as assigned by sfo tower. Taxiing out to the runway on taxiway B, tower cleared us for takeoff, runway 1L. Close to abeam taxiway H, there was another aircraft holding for takeoff facing that intersection. I was finishing up the checklist and looked up and saw a sign on our left that indicated runway 1L. I asked the captain, 'isn't that runway 1L entryway?' he had been looking in the opposite direction at the aircraft holding to our right. He saw the sign that I pointed out and slowed the aircraft and entered the runway where I indicated. Tower then called and advised 'flight XXX, you are on runway 1L at intersection H.' we verified this. We then computed new takeoff data for this intersection. We took off with new data for the intersection takeoff. Factors: on taxi out, the captain's map light burned out. Also, ironically, the captain's acp indicator light burned out. So, he only had available the dome light for illumination. This put him at a disadvantage in that he could not verify taxi rtes unless he turned the dome light way up. Of course this resulted in decreased outside visibility, as it was dark. When I queried him, he trusted that I was looking at the airport diagram and was certain of our orientation. I should have taken into account that he was operating with a hindrance and paid closer attention to taxi rtes in reference to the airport diagram. Factors: equipment limitations -- failed illumination distraction (aircraft holding for runway). Poor orientation by me long time on duty 10 hours. At the end of the duty day, we admitted to being less alert due to fatigue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW DEPARTED SFO FROM RWY 1 INTXN H RATHER THAN TXWY M AS ASSIGNED BY ATC.

Narrative: WE TAXIED ONTO THE RWY AT INTXN H, INSTEAD OF FULL LENGTH, AS ASSIGNED BY SFO TWR. TAXIING OUT TO THE RWY ON TXWY B, TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF, RWY 1L. CLOSE TO ABEAM TXWY H, THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT HOLDING FOR TKOF FACING THAT INTXN. I WAS FINISHING UP THE CHKLIST AND LOOKED UP AND SAW A SIGN ON OUR L THAT INDICATED RWY 1L. I ASKED THE CAPT, 'ISN'T THAT RWY 1L ENTRYWAY?' HE HAD BEEN LOOKING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT THE ACFT HOLDING TO OUR R. HE SAW THE SIGN THAT I POINTED OUT AND SLOWED THE ACFT AND ENTERED THE RWY WHERE I INDICATED. TWR THEN CALLED AND ADVISED 'FLT XXX, YOU ARE ON RWY 1L AT INTXN H.' WE VERIFIED THIS. WE THEN COMPUTED NEW TKOF DATA FOR THIS INTXN. WE TOOK OFF WITH NEW DATA FOR THE INTXN TKOF. FACTORS: ON TAXI OUT, THE CAPT'S MAP LIGHT BURNED OUT. ALSO, IRONICALLY, THE CAPT'S ACP INDICATOR LIGHT BURNED OUT. SO, HE ONLY HAD AVAILABLE THE DOME LIGHT FOR ILLUMINATION. THIS PUT HIM AT A DISADVANTAGE IN THAT HE COULD NOT VERIFY TAXI RTES UNLESS HE TURNED THE DOME LIGHT WAY UP. OF COURSE THIS RESULTED IN DECREASED OUTSIDE VISIBILITY, AS IT WAS DARK. WHEN I QUERIED HIM, HE TRUSTED THAT I WAS LOOKING AT THE ARPT DIAGRAM AND WAS CERTAIN OF OUR ORIENTATION. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THAT HE WAS OPERATING WITH A HINDRANCE AND PAID CLOSER ATTN TO TAXI RTES IN REF TO THE ARPT DIAGRAM. FACTORS: EQUIP LIMITATIONS -- FAILED ILLUMINATION DISTR (ACFT HOLDING FOR RWY). POOR ORIENTATION BY ME LONG TIME ON DUTY 10 HRS. AT THE END OF THE DUTY DAY, WE ADMITTED TO BEING LESS ALERT DUE TO FATIGUE.

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.