Narrative:

This incident involves a takeoff from a possibly closed runway at an unfamiliar airport; that being shr. While taxiing southwest on the runway 5/23 parallel taxiway en route to runway 14; we came to the first intersecting 'runway;' shorter but heading directly into the wind. Checking my billings sectional; dated 03/07; the airport diagram indicated three usable runways; so we completed our engine run-up there just as a commuter aircraft behind us requested we move to allow them to taxi to runway 23. We complied with their request and then lined up for takeoff; announcing my intentions on the unicom 123.0. Because of the high nose attitude of my C180 tail dragger; I could not see the faded yellow X on the runway until I passed over it. At that point; the tail was coming up followed by lift-off. Since the runway was still clear; it seemed safer to continue the take-off; which I did; rather than abort. An uneventful take-off was made followed by a second transmission on the unicom to advise my departure route from the traffic pattern. We then proceeded to our destination without incident. Checking airnav later; the airport diagram shows the runway just as the sectional chart did but does not list any information for it. The faded yellow X led me to wonder if it was current or possibly left over from previous construction; etc. In conclusion I may have failed to properly evaluate all conditions and indications even though the entire take-off event was; in fact; a non-event. If the old runway is unusable; perhaps better markings and/or barricades might help a wayward pilot such as myself not make the same mistake -- if I did; that is.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C180 PILOT REPORTS DEPARTING A SHR ABANDONED RWY THAT WAS SHOWN AS ACTIVE ON HIS BILLINGS SECTIONAL CHART.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT INVOLVES A TAKEOFF FROM A POSSIBLY CLOSED RWY AT AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT; THAT BEING SHR. WHILE TAXIING SW ON THE RWY 5/23 PARALLEL TXWY ENRTE TO RWY 14; WE CAME TO THE FIRST INTERSECTING 'RWY;' SHORTER BUT HEADING DIRECTLY INTO THE WIND. CHKING MY BILLINGS SECTIONAL; DATED 03/07; THE ARPT DIAGRAM INDICATED THREE USABLE RWYS; SO WE COMPLETED OUR ENGINE RUN-UP THERE JUST AS A COMMUTER ACFT BEHIND US REQUESTED WE MOVE TO ALLOW THEM TO TAXI TO RWY 23. WE COMPLIED WITH THEIR REQUEST AND THEN LINED UP FOR TAKEOFF; ANNOUNCING MY INTENTIONS ON THE UNICOM 123.0. BECAUSE OF THE HIGH NOSE ATTITUDE OF MY C180 TAIL DRAGGER; I COULD NOT SEE THE FADED YELLOW X ON THE RWY UNTIL I PASSED OVER IT. AT THAT POINT; THE TAIL WAS COMING UP FOLLOWED BY LIFT-OFF. SINCE THE RWY WAS STILL CLR; IT SEEMED SAFER TO CONTINUE THE TAKE-OFF; WHICH I DID; RATHER THAN ABORT. AN UNEVENTFUL TAKE-OFF WAS MADE FOLLOWED BY A SECOND TRANSMISSION ON THE UNICOM TO ADVISE MY DEP RTE FROM THE TFC PATTERN. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO OUR DEST WITHOUT INCIDENT. CHKING AIRNAV LATER; THE ARPT DIAGRAM SHOWS THE RWY JUST AS THE SECTIONAL CHART DID BUT DOES NOT LIST ANY INFO FOR IT. THE FADED YELLOW X LED ME TO WONDER IF IT WAS CURRENT OR POSSIBLY LEFT OVER FROM PREVIOUS CONSTRUCTION; ETC. IN CONCLUSION I MAY HAVE FAILED TO PROPERLY EVALUATE ALL CONDITIONS AND INDICATIONS EVEN THOUGH THE ENTIRE TAKE-OFF EVENT WAS; IN FACT; A NON-EVENT. IF THE OLD RUNWAY IS UNUSABLE; PERHAPS BETTER MARKINGS AND/OR BARRICADES MIGHT HELP A WAYWARD PLT SUCH AS MYSELF NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE -- IF I DID; THAT IS.

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.