Narrative:

On 3/tue/90, we were cleared to taxi in position and hold runway 24. A couple of mins later we were cleared for takeoff. We computed (based on weight and temperature) or speeds as follows: V1=122, vr=134, V2=137. Looking back, our V1 speed (decision speed) should have been 125.5 KTS, while on the takeoff roll we approached 80 KTS. The copilot called, '80 KTS--2 good engines.' then, while going through 100 KTS (approximately 100-110 KTS) a red light on the annunciator panel came on. I caught the red light immediately and aborted our takeoff. Simultaneously I went 1) power idle, 2) spoilers deployed, 3) brakes. Our balance field length was computed at 4200'. We were on a 6015' runway. The left thrust reverser was inoperative, so we didn't use reversers (the left reverser hasn't worked for months). We didn't need the reverser anyway. The aircraft decelerated normally. It seemed like a normal abort. As the copilot keyed the microphone (he said later he was going to tell the tower that we would taxi back and try again) I told him to wait. At that point I told him to help me with the brakes. The brakes started to become ineffective. He helped me, but the aircraft failed to decelerate. The aircraft veered to the right as the end of the runway was approaching. I applied left rudder, but it didn't help. We were over the REIL lights on the right side, exiting the runway and sliding into the mud and grass as the aircraft came to a halt about 40' from the overrun area to the right (see diagram). The FAA came out and labeled this an incident. There seemed to be no apparent damage whatsoever. We had a drag chute, but this wouldn't help because by the time the brakes became ineffective, our speed was below 60 KTS. That speed was too low for reversers to be effective. The only thing I could have done was to use the emergency air brakes. This would have by-passed the anti-skid system and probably blew all 4 tires. I think aborting was not wrong by any means. We were well (10-15 KTS) below V1 speed when we aborted. We think the brake glazed over and became ineffective. The FAA said they wouldn't't have come out, but the tower had to close the runway a few hours. They (FAA) intended not to investigate any further as far as the actions of the pilots were concerned.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ABORTED TKOF. RWY EXCURSION.

Narrative: ON 3/TUE/90, WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI IN POS AND HOLD RWY 24. A COUPLE OF MINS LATER WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. WE COMPUTED (BASED ON WT AND TEMP) OR SPDS AS FOLLOWS: V1=122, VR=134, V2=137. LOOKING BACK, OUR V1 SPD (DECISION SPD) SHOULD HAVE BEEN 125.5 KTS, WHILE ON THE TKOF ROLL WE APCHED 80 KTS. THE COPLT CALLED, '80 KTS--2 GOOD ENGS.' THEN, WHILE GOING THROUGH 100 KTS (APPROX 100-110 KTS) A RED LIGHT ON THE ANNUNCIATOR PANEL CAME ON. I CAUGHT THE RED LIGHT IMMEDIATELY AND ABORTED OUR TKOF. SIMULTANEOUSLY I WENT 1) PWR IDLE, 2) SPOILERS DEPLOYED, 3) BRAKES. OUR BAL FIELD LENGTH WAS COMPUTED AT 4200'. WE WERE ON A 6015' RWY. THE LEFT THRUST REVERSER WAS INOP, SO WE DIDN'T USE REVERSERS (THE LEFT REVERSER HASN'T WORKED FOR MONTHS). WE DIDN'T NEED THE REVERSER ANYWAY. THE ACFT DECELERATED NORMALLY. IT SEEMED LIKE A NORMAL ABORT. AS THE COPLT KEYED THE MIC (HE SAID LATER HE WAS GOING TO TELL THE TWR THAT WE WOULD TAXI BACK AND TRY AGAIN) I TOLD HIM TO WAIT. AT THAT POINT I TOLD HIM TO HELP ME WITH THE BRAKES. THE BRAKES STARTED TO BECOME INEFFECTIVE. HE HELPED ME, BUT THE ACFT FAILED TO DECELERATE. THE ACFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT AS THE END OF THE RWY WAS APCHING. I APPLIED LEFT RUDDER, BUT IT DIDN'T HELP. WE WERE OVER THE REIL LIGHTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE, EXITING THE RWY AND SLIDING INTO THE MUD AND GRASS AS THE ACFT CAME TO A HALT ABOUT 40' FROM THE OVERRUN AREA TO THE RIGHT (SEE DIAGRAM). THE FAA CAME OUT AND LABELED THIS AN INCIDENT. THERE SEEMED TO BE NO APPARENT DAMAGE WHATSOEVER. WE HAD A DRAG CHUTE, BUT THIS WOULDN'T HELP BECAUSE BY THE TIME THE BRAKES BECAME INEFFECTIVE, OUR SPD WAS BELOW 60 KTS. THAT SPD WAS TOO LOW FOR REVERSERS TO BE EFFECTIVE. THE ONLY THING I COULD HAVE DONE WAS TO USE THE EMER AIR BRAKES. THIS WOULD HAVE BY-PASSED THE ANTI-SKID SYS AND PROBABLY BLEW ALL 4 TIRES. I THINK ABORTING WAS NOT WRONG BY ANY MEANS. WE WERE WELL (10-15 KTS) BELOW V1 SPD WHEN WE ABORTED. WE THINK THE BRAKE GLAZED OVER AND BECAME INEFFECTIVE. THE FAA SAID THEY WOULDN'T'T HAVE COME OUT, BUT THE TWR HAD TO CLOSE THE RWY A FEW HRS. THEY (FAA) INTENDED NOT TO INVESTIGATE ANY FURTHER AS FAR AS THE ACTIONS OF THE PLTS WERE CONCERNED.

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.