Narrative:

I was practicing solo night lndgs at ccr with the tower in operation. Runway 19R was in use. I had just landed on runway 19R and was instructed to make a right turn off the runway onto taxiway K; then right on taxiway east back to runway 19R. This area is on the west ramp which is under construction. My aircraft is hangared on the east ramp and is the area that I use almost exclusively. Taxiway and runway markings and lighting on the west ramp are marginal and frankly confusing to me. As I continued down taxiway east; my landing light picked up a yellow line curving to the right; so I followed it and soon noticed that I was on the runway. I assumed it was runway 19R but did not verify that with taxiway or runway signage or the heading on my HSI. Concord tower cleared me for takeoff; and I did but only realized once airborne that I was using runway 14 which was unlighted. The takeoff was otherwise unremarkable; and I advised the tower that I had just departed on runway 14 (left; I think). There was no other traffic on the ground on the ground or tower frequencys. The tower made no comment about my unauthorized departure; and I completed my night landing sequence without further incident. As usual; many factors contributed to this incident. Ironically; I own a portable GPS with taxiway position guidance but did not bring it with me this night; as the flight was rather impromptu. Next; I should have declined the right turn onto the west ramp area and requested a left turn onto taxiway a; one I am more familiar with. Then when I noticed I was disoriented; I should have checked my HSI heading and/or requested guidance from the ground controller. Fortunately; I was the only aircraft in motion on or near the airport; so there was no conflict and no injuries or damage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE24 PLT BECAME DISORIENTED AS HE TAXIED AT NIGHT AND USED WRONG UNLIGHTED RWY FOR TKOF.

Narrative: I WAS PRACTICING SOLO NIGHT LNDGS AT CCR WITH THE TWR IN OP. RWY 19R WAS IN USE. I HAD JUST LANDED ON RWY 19R AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAKE A R TURN OFF THE RWY ONTO TXWY K; THEN R ON TXWY E BACK TO RWY 19R. THIS AREA IS ON THE W RAMP WHICH IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. MY ACFT IS HANGARED ON THE E RAMP AND IS THE AREA THAT I USE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY. TXWY AND RWY MARKINGS AND LIGHTING ON THE W RAMP ARE MARGINAL AND FRANKLY CONFUSING TO ME. AS I CONTINUED DOWN TXWY E; MY LNDG LIGHT PICKED UP A YELLOW LINE CURVING TO THE R; SO I FOLLOWED IT AND SOON NOTICED THAT I WAS ON THE RWY. I ASSUMED IT WAS RWY 19R BUT DID NOT VERIFY THAT WITH TXWY OR RWY SIGNAGE OR THE HDG ON MY HSI. CONCORD TWR CLRED ME FOR TKOF; AND I DID BUT ONLY REALIZED ONCE AIRBORNE THAT I WAS USING RWY 14 WHICH WAS UNLIGHTED. THE TKOF WAS OTHERWISE UNREMARKABLE; AND I ADVISED THE TWR THAT I HAD JUST DEPARTED ON RWY 14 (L; I THINK). THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC ON THE GND ON THE GND OR TWR FREQS. THE TWR MADE NO COMMENT ABOUT MY UNAUTH DEP; AND I COMPLETED MY NIGHT LNDG SEQUENCE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AS USUAL; MANY FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT. IRONICALLY; I OWN A PORTABLE GPS WITH TXWY POS GUIDANCE BUT DID NOT BRING IT WITH ME THIS NIGHT; AS THE FLT WAS RATHER IMPROMPTU. NEXT; I SHOULD HAVE DECLINED THE R TURN ONTO THE W RAMP AREA AND REQUESTED A L TURN ONTO TXWY A; ONE I AM MORE FAMILIAR WITH. THEN WHEN I NOTICED I WAS DISORIENTED; I SHOULD HAVE CHKED MY HSI HDG AND/OR REQUESTED GUIDANCE FROM THE GND CTLR. FORTUNATELY; I WAS THE ONLY ACFT IN MOTION ON OR NEAR THE ARPT; SO THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.