Narrative:

Flight was a 3 engine ferry from ont to yip to replace #4 engine. As aircraft started to accelerate, it suddenly veered to the right side of the runway, narrowly missing a runway light. Using full left nose steering and closing the throttles, the aircraft then went to the left side of the runway where I was able to regain control. The takeoff was aborted, taxied back to position and departed normally. There was no damage to airport property as was confirmed by airport ground vehicles and ourselves as we went back into position. An air carrier pilot said it appeared we may have gone into the dirt off the side of the runway, but we could see no evidence of that on taxi back. There is a lot of rubber buildup on the runway and feel that the nose wheel may have started to lose traction almost from the start of the roll. #2 and #3 engines were at maximum power, with #1 at idle until the aircraft was moving. I then advanced #1 just enough to take it off the idle stop to prevent rapid acceleration when I was ready to apply power. This may have added to the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF ACFT CONTROL DURING TKOF ROLL. FOUR ENGINE ACFT BEING FERRIED WITH ONE OUTBOARD ENGINE INOPERATIVE. NO INJURY OR FURTHER DAMAGE.

Narrative: FLT WAS A 3 ENGINE FERRY FROM ONT TO YIP TO REPLACE #4 ENG. AS ACFT STARTED TO ACCELERATE, IT SUDDENLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY, NARROWLY MISSING A RWY LIGHT. USING FULL LEFT NOSE STEERING AND CLOSING THE THROTTLES, THE ACFT THEN WENT TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY WHERE I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL. THE TKOF WAS ABORTED, TAXIED BACK TO POSITION AND DEPARTED NORMALLY. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO ARPT PROPERTY AS WAS CONFIRMED BY ARPT GND VEHICLES AND OURSELVES AS WE WENT BACK INTO POSITION. AN ACR PLT SAID IT APPEARED WE MAY HAVE GONE INTO THE DIRT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY, BUT WE COULD SEE NO EVIDENCE OF THAT ON TAXI BACK. THERE IS A LOT OF RUBBER BUILDUP ON THE RWY AND FEEL THAT THE NOSE WHEEL MAY HAVE STARTED TO LOSE TRACTION ALMOST FROM THE START OF THE ROLL. #2 AND #3 ENGINES WERE AT MAX POWER, WITH #1 AT IDLE UNTIL THE ACFT WAS MOVING. I THEN ADVANCED #1 JUST ENOUGH TO TAKE IT OFF THE IDLE STOP TO PREVENT RAPID ACCELERATION WHEN I WAS READY TO APPLY POWER. THIS MAY HAVE ADDED TO THE PROBLEM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.