FLC OF AN EMBRAER BRASILIA EMB120 (E120) TOOK OFF IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION DURING AN INTXN TKOF. IT WAS AT NIGHTTIME; AND THE CAPT BECAME DISORIENTED WHEN TAXIING INTO POS FOR TKOF.
Synopsis
FLC OF AN EMBRAER BRASILIA EMB120 (E120) TOOK OFF IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION DURING AN INTXN TKOF. IT WAS AT NIGHTTIME; AND THE CAPT BECAME DISORIENTED WHEN TAXIING INTO POS FOR TKOF.
Narrative
IT WAS THE LAST LEG OF THE 5 WE WERE SCHEDULED. AFTER TAXI CHKS WERE COMPLETED AND RAMP CTL HANDED US OFF TO GND CTL; WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 16R. SOMEWHERE ALONG TXWY E; THE CAPT ASKED IF WE WERE LIGHT ENOUGH FOR AN INTXN TKOF; AND REQUESTED THAT I ASK FOR IT FROM GND. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED UP OUR TKOF WT FOR AN A6 INTXN DEP; CONFIRMED WE WERE LIGHT ENOUGH; AND THEN CONTACTED TWR FOR CLRNC. AS I WAITED FOR ATC CLRNC; I BEGAN THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST REQUIRING NOTIFICATION OF THE FLT ATTENDANT; FLAP SETTING AND OTHER VERBAL AND PHYSICAL CHKS. DURING MY CHALLENGE AND RESPONSE FROM THE CAPT; ATC CLRED US FOR 'TKOF; A6 INTXN DEP;' AND WHAT I PERCEIVED AS 'L TURN 280 DEGS.' I READ BACK THE CLRNC; BUT STUTTERED; UNSURE OF THE 'TURNOUT' DIRECTION. THE CAPT THEN ENTERED THE RWY; HDG N AND APPLIED PWR FOR TKOF; CALLED 'SET PWR' AND AS I STRUGGLED TO CLR MY MIND OF THE CLRNC WE RECEIVED; I ADJUSTED MY THINKING TO THE TKOF ROLL; CALLOUTS; AND WATCHING FOR TFC. TKOF WAS NORMAL. AFTER ABOUT 400 FT; TWR REQUESTED 'IMMEDIATE' TURN 280 DEGS. WE NOTED AN ACFT ABOUT OUR 1-2 O'CLOCK POS; AND APPROX 6-10 MI ON OUR TCASII. WE THEN BEGAN TO REALIZE OUR ERROR IN TAKING OFF THE WRONG DIRECTION. NO OTHER INCIDENTS. POSSIBLE CAUSES: 1) DARK COCKPIT; UNABLE TO VIEW ATIS INFO. 2) CONFUSION WITH ATC CLRNC. 3) BEING IN TOO BIG OF A HURRY. 4) BREAKDOWN OF CREW COM/COORD DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. 5) FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. COMPLACENCY! 6) FAILURE OF ATC TO VERIFY READBACK OR CLARIFY IT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.