Greg Farris wrote in
:

I believe "incomprehension" would better qualify your error than
"ignorance". All of the methodology you mention is moot if the crew did
not realize they were on the wrong runway.

"Is 3500 adequate" is a perfectly valid question, as it helps to
understand whether there is any realistic probability that the crew
would knowingly and deliberately attempt taleoff from such a short
runway.

I am not a CRJ pilot, and have not bothered to look it up, but I would
be astounded to learn that this is a plausible runway length for this
aircraft. Should this belief be upheld, as well as the fact that the
plane did indeed attempt takeoff from such a runway, it brings us very
close to proving that the crew made a mistake in taxying to the runway,
and unwittingly found themselves on a runway far too short. Thus the
question you challenge actually brings us a long way toward an
understanding (to be confirmed and proven) of the accident.

GF



If the answer is that they took off from the wrong runway, then the question
becomes what caused them to be unable to identify the runway as the wrong
runway?

Even if they misheard their taxi/takeoff clearances, or the clearances were
indeed to the wrong ruway, they surely had done a bunch of paperwork and/or
computerwork identifying the need to be on Rwy 22. And even at 6:30am, I must
believe that the runway markings are clear enough that it would be unusual
for two pilots to see a 26 instead of a 22...

Strange...