AC11 DEPARTS WRONG RWY DURING INTXN TKOF AT PIA.

Date: 2003-11 · Aircraft: Commander 112/A/B/TC · Phase: takeoff

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|ground-incursion-runway

Synopsis

AC11 DEPARTS WRONG RWY DURING INTXN TKOF AT PIA.

Narrative

PLT DID RUN UP AT MIDFIELD ON 8000 FT RWY AT MIDPOINT. IT WAS DUSK TO DARK AND LNDG LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED AT TIME OF CLRNC TO TAKE OFF ON RWY 4. AFTER CLRNC; PLT TURNED WRONG WAY ONTO RWY 22; WHILE TRYING TO RESET LNDG LIGHT BREAKER. DECISION WAS MADE TO TAKE OFF ON RWY AND DID NOT REALIZE THAT PLANE WAS ON WRONG RWY UNTIL 'POINT-OF-NO-RETURN.' CONTINUED ON TKOF; MAKING IMMEDIATE L TURN TO OFFSET RWY HEADING. CONFIRMED WITH TWR. STUPID MISTAKE AND NOTICED ONCOMING TFC ABOUT 1 MI. PROCEEDED TO FINISH CLBOUT HEADING ASSIGNED BY TWR. THE PLT HAD WORKED THE PREVIOUS 12 HRS AND HAS A SUPERCRITICAL PROJECT. HE WAS DISTR BY THE LNDG LIGHT PROB. THIS WAS THE FIRST MISTAKE OF THIS KIND HE HAS MADE. I BELIEVE THAT TIME AND STRESS HAD A SIGNIFICANT PART IN THIS INCIDENT. THE PLT HAS CHANGED HIS PRIORITIES AND ALSO ADDED CHK FOR PROPER RWY ON HIS CHKLIST. THIS WAS PLT ERROR WITH A LUCKY OUTCOME. IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR THIS PLT. I UNDERSTOOD THAT RWY INCURSIONS ARE A MAJOR PROB. I BELIEVE THAT IF ARPTS INDICATED PROPER RWY AT MIDFIELD SIGNS; THIS MAY NOT HAPPEN AS MUCH AT NIGHT. LIGHTED TAXI CTRLINES WOULD ALSO BE NICE AT MAJOR ARPTS. ALL RED LIGHTS ON BACK OF RWY LIGHTS MAY ALSO HELP. THIS WOULD SHOW IF HEADING WRONG RWY.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.