Narrative:

I issued takeoff clearance on runway 16R to a C172. The pilot departed parallel taxiway B. A B737 was 5000 ft downfield on taxiway. I observed aircraft rolling. As soon as airborne, I issued a 20 degree left turn to the C172. Ground control heard me issue the instruction and turned 737 onto a parallel taxiway. Collision was not imminent. Pilot gave several clues to his lack of knowledge. 1) called tower frequency for departure request (issued ground frequency). Ground control subsequently gave C172 clearance delivery frequency. 2) asked for progressive taxi instructions. Relatively easy airport layout. 3) poor knowledge of airport. 4) was not familiar with term 'possible pilot deviation.' 5) was flying at night (moonless). I should have been extra vigilant. Red flag airman! Supplemental information from acn 630003: I asked for progressive taxi instructions to the active runway. It was dusk and I was unfamiliar with that (west) side of the airport. With progressive instructions, I taxied to what I thought was a run-up area for runway 16R. I did my run-up, contacted tower and advised I was holding short runway 16R. In fact, I apparently was holding short of taxiway B while sitting on taxiway a, thinking I was holding short of runway 16R. 'Air carrier X, cleared for takeoff, runway 16R' is what I thought I heard. I wish I had heard 'air carrier X, cross taxiway B, then cleared for takeoff, runway 16R.' I taxied out into the first intersection, turned and hit the throttle. My skyhawk jumped into the air right about the time I saw headlights way down at the far end, concurrently with the controller asking me to turn left 20 degrees because I had just confused a taxiway with the runway! 'Do not mistake parallel taxiway B (west of runway 16R) for runway 16R.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RNO CTLR RPTED C172 DEPARTED TXWY WHEN ISSUED RWY 16R TKOF CLRNC.

Narrative: I ISSUED TKOF CLRNC ON RWY 16R TO A C172. THE PLT DEPARTED PARALLEL TXWY B. A B737 WAS 5000 FT DOWNFIELD ON TXWY. I OBSERVED ACFT ROLLING. AS SOON AS AIRBORNE, I ISSUED A 20 DEG L TURN TO THE C172. GND CTL HEARD ME ISSUE THE INSTRUCTION AND TURNED 737 ONTO A PARALLEL TXWY. COLLISION WAS NOT IMMINENT. PLT GAVE SEVERAL CLUES TO HIS LACK OF KNOWLEDGE. 1) CALLED TWR FREQ FOR DEP REQUEST (ISSUED GND FREQ). GND CTL SUBSEQUENTLY GAVE C172 CLRNC DELIVERY FREQ. 2) ASKED FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. RELATIVELY EASY ARPT LAYOUT. 3) POOR KNOWLEDGE OF ARPT. 4) WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH TERM 'POSSIBLE PLTDEV.' 5) WAS FLYING AT NIGHT (MOONLESS). I SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXTRA VIGILANT. RED FLAG AIRMAN! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 630003: I ASKED FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO THE ACTIVE RWY. IT WAS DUSK AND I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THAT (W) SIDE OF THE ARPT. WITH PROGRESSIVE INSTRUCTIONS, I TAXIED TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A RUN-UP AREA FOR RWY 16R. I DID MY RUN-UP, CONTACTED TWR AND ADVISED I WAS HOLDING SHORT RWY 16R. IN FACT, I APPARENTLY WAS HOLDING SHORT OF TXWY B WHILE SITTING ON TXWY A, THINKING I WAS HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 16R. 'ACR X, CLRED FOR TKOF, RWY 16R' IS WHAT I THOUGHT I HEARD. I WISH I HAD HEARD 'ACR X, CROSS TXWY B, THEN CLRED FOR TKOF, RWY 16R.' I TAXIED OUT INTO THE FIRST INTXN, TURNED AND HIT THE THROTTLE. MY SKYHAWK JUMPED INTO THE AIR RIGHT ABOUT THE TIME I SAW HEADLIGHTS WAY DOWN AT THE FAR END, CONCURRENTLY WITH THE CTLR ASKING ME TO TURN L 20 DEGS BECAUSE I HAD JUST CONFUSED A TXWY WITH THE RWY! 'DO NOT MISTAKE PARALLEL TXWY B (W OF RWY 16R) FOR RWY 16R.

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.