Narrative:

Gross weight 490,000 pounds (light airplane) started takeoff roll on runway 1R sfo. At approximately 40 KTS aircraft began to swerve to left slightly. I immediately reduced power to idle on all engines and discontinued takeoff. Turned off runway at first taxiway and proceeded back to end of runway 1R. This swerve to left was caused by #1 engine throttle slightly behind other three as maximum power was being set. This caused the airplane to deviate slightly to left and my discontinuing the takeoff roll at approximately 40 KTS. This airplane has a maximum certificated takeoff gross weight of 820,000 pounds. Our gross weight for this takeoff was approximately 490,000 pounds with only two percent of this weight on the nose gear. This makes it very important to insure the power is coming up even, especially on the outboard engines, as throttles are advanced for takeoff. Normal procedure is to advance throttles to approximately 1.15 EPR's and then call for second officer to set takeoff power. This procedure was followed, but as second officer advanced throttles he did not have #1 throttle even with the other 3, which caused the directional problem. The only way to correct this is to retard all throttles and discontinue takeoff. After determining that no engine malfunction had occurred we made another takeoff during which I advanced the throttles slowly and evenly and everything was normal. While all second officer's are thoroughly trained on how to set takeoff power I believe that all capts must constantly remind them about keeping the power even on takeoff, especially when the airplane is light. This was an experienced second officer and I did not make this cautionary reminder. An oversight which will not be repeated. No malfunction was entered in aircraft maintenance log as all engines operated normally and throttle rig appeared to be normal.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF WDB CARGO ACR ABORTS TKOF WHEN SO ADVANCES THE THROTTLES UNEVENLY CAUSING THE ACFT TO BEGIN TO SWERVE TO SIDE OF RWY AT SFO.

Narrative: GROSS WT 490,000 LBS (LIGHT AIRPLANE) STARTED TKOF ROLL ON RWY 1R SFO. AT APPROX 40 KTS ACFT BEGAN TO SWERVE TO L SLIGHTLY. I IMMEDIATELY REDUCED PWR TO IDLE ON ALL ENGS AND DISCONTINUED TKOF. TURNED OFF RWY AT FIRST TXWY AND PROCEEDED BACK TO END OF RWY 1R. THIS SWERVE TO L WAS CAUSED BY #1 ENG THROTTLE SLIGHTLY BEHIND OTHER THREE AS MAX PWR WAS BEING SET. THIS CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO DEVIATE SLIGHTLY TO L AND MY DISCONTINUING THE TKOF ROLL AT APPROX 40 KTS. THIS AIRPLANE HAS A MAX CERTIFICATED TKOF GROSS WT OF 820,000 LBS. OUR GROSS WT FOR THIS TKOF WAS APPROX 490,000 LBS WITH ONLY TWO PERCENT OF THIS WT ON THE NOSE GEAR. THIS MAKES IT VERY IMPORTANT TO INSURE THE PWR IS COMING UP EVEN, ESPECIALLY ON THE OUTBOARD ENGS, AS THROTTLES ARE ADVANCED FOR TKOF. NORMAL PROC IS TO ADVANCE THROTTLES TO APPROX 1.15 EPR'S AND THEN CALL FOR S/O TO SET TKOF PWR. THIS PROC WAS FOLLOWED, BUT AS S/O ADVANCED THROTTLES HE DID NOT HAVE #1 THROTTLE EVEN WITH THE OTHER 3, WHICH CAUSED THE DIRECTIONAL PROB. THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT THIS IS TO RETARD ALL THROTTLES AND DISCONTINUE TKOF. AFTER DETERMINING THAT NO ENG MALFUNCTION HAD OCCURRED WE MADE ANOTHER TKOF DURING WHICH I ADVANCED THE THROTTLES SLOWLY AND EVENLY AND EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. WHILE ALL S/O'S ARE THOROUGHLY TRAINED ON HOW TO SET TKOF PWR I BELIEVE THAT ALL CAPTS MUST CONSTANTLY REMIND THEM ABOUT KEEPING THE PWR EVEN ON TKOF, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE AIRPLANE IS LIGHT. THIS WAS AN EXPERIENCED S/O AND I DID NOT MAKE THIS CAUTIONARY REMINDER. AN OVERSIGHT WHICH WILL NOT BE REPEATED. NO MALFUNCTION WAS ENTERED IN ACFT MAINT LOG AS ALL ENGS OPERATED NORMALLY AND THROTTLE RIG APPEARED TO BE NORMAL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.