Aborted takeoff. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	142245
Time
Date	199004
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aup airport : avp
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	142245
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After setting the power on the takeoff roll, the aircraft started to head to the left of centerline, despite my right rudder inputs. I pulled back the 2 power levers to abort the takeoff, and this action caused the aircraft to swerve to the right of centerline. These maneuvers were apparently very unsettling to the passenger, although we never came close to leaving the runway. We taxied back and made a successful takeoff on our second attempt. The runway was wet. Our aging aircraft have mismatched power levers, which often cause us to set the power unevenly. This is an inconvenience at cruise, but can be critical on takeoff and landing. Our company does not consider this a safety issue. I do consider this a safety issue, but I have been threatened with dismissal for observing standard safety precautions. Therefore, reporting or writing up mismatched power levers gets no results from our company.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ABORTED TKOF.

Narrative: AFTER SETTING THE PWR ON THE TKOF ROLL, THE ACFT STARTED TO HEAD TO THE LEFT OF CENTERLINE, DESPITE MY RIGHT RUDDER INPUTS. I PULLED BACK THE 2 PWR LEVERS TO ABORT THE TKOF, AND THIS ACTION CAUSED THE ACFT TO SWERVE TO THE RIGHT OF CENTERLINE. THESE MANEUVERS WERE APPARENTLY VERY UNSETTLING TO THE PAX, ALTHOUGH WE NEVER CAME CLOSE TO LEAVING THE RWY. WE TAXIED BACK AND MADE A SUCCESSFUL TKOF ON OUR SECOND ATTEMPT. THE RWY WAS WET. OUR AGING ACFT HAVE MISMATCHED PWR LEVERS, WHICH OFTEN CAUSE US TO SET THE PWR UNEVENLY. THIS IS AN INCONVENIENCE AT CRUISE, BUT CAN BE CRITICAL ON TKOF AND LNDG. OUR COMPANY DOES NOT CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE. I DO CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT I HAVE BEEN THREATENED WITH DISMISSAL FOR OBSERVING STANDARD SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. THEREFORE, RPTING OR WRITING UP MISMATCHED PWR LEVERS GETS NO RESULTS FROM OUR COMPANY.

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.