Narrative:

Departing dca northwest via the standard noise abatement departure (follow potomac river or dca 328 degree right to the 10 DME). ATIS: clear, 10 mi visibility, 60 degree winds lights and variable. Departing runway 36. As we were cleared into position, the tower reported the current wind as 230 degrees, 8 KTS. A quick check of our takeoff data sheet confirmed that we were still legal to depart on runway 36 with this approximately 5K effective tailwind. Maximum thrust was selected for takeoff. Engine performance appeared normal. Aircraft acceleration was sluggish. Liftoff did not occur until approximately 1000' from end of runway. At approximately 30' AGL our turn was initiated to proceed via the potomac river (it is company policy on departures to not begin turn to assigned heading prior to reaching 300' AGL). It is possible that because of the excessive takeoff roll, by the time we reached 300' and commenced our turn that we had penetrated a portion of P56, the prohibited airspace in the vicinity of the lincoln memorial. Suspected causes: 1) more tailwind that reported or slight wind shear on takeoff roll. 2) poor judgement on my part to accept the assigned runway after I became aware of the existing tail wind.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLT CREW ACCEPTS DEP RWY WITH TAIL WIND. POSSIBLE ENTRY INTO PROHIBITED AREA.

Narrative: DEPARTING DCA NW VIA THE STANDARD NOISE ABATEMENT DEP (FOLLOW POTOMAC RIVER OR DCA 328 DEG R TO THE 10 DME). ATIS: CLR, 10 MI VISIBILITY, 60 DEG WINDS LIGHTS AND VARIABLE. DEPARTING RWY 36. AS WE WERE CLRED INTO POS, THE TWR RPTED THE CURRENT WIND AS 230 DEGS, 8 KTS. A QUICK CHK OF OUR TKOF DATA SHEET CONFIRMED THAT WE WERE STILL LEGAL TO DEPART ON RWY 36 WITH THIS APPROX 5K EFFECTIVE TAILWIND. MAX THRUST WAS SELECTED FOR TKOF. ENG PERFORMANCE APPEARED NORMAL. ACFT ACCELERATION WAS SLUGGISH. LIFTOFF DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL APPROX 1000' FROM END OF RWY. AT APPROX 30' AGL OUR TURN WAS INITIATED TO PROCEED VIA THE POTOMAC RIVER (IT IS COMPANY POLICY ON DEPS TO NOT BEGIN TURN TO ASSIGNED HDG PRIOR TO REACHING 300' AGL). IT IS POSSIBLE THAT BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE TKOF ROLL, BY THE TIME WE REACHED 300' AND COMMENCED OUR TURN THAT WE HAD PENETRATED A PORTION OF P56, THE PROHIBITED AIRSPACE IN THE VICINITY OF THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL. SUSPECTED CAUSES: 1) MORE TAILWIND THAT RPTED OR SLIGHT WIND SHEAR ON TKOF ROLL. 2) POOR JUDGEMENT ON MY PART TO ACCEPT THE ASSIGNED RWY AFTER I BECAME AWARE OF THE EXISTING TAIL WIND.

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.