Narrative:

I was PIC of air carrier widebody transport that departed den bnd for hnl. The WX was clear, ATIS wind was 110 degrees at 6 KTS, temperature 84 degrees F, departure runway used was 35L. The takeoff was made at maximum gross weight for the temperature and runway which necessitated an extremely long roll. During the takeoff roll acceleration seemed slightly slow, but considering aircraft weight and temperature, not abnormal for the conditions. The egt's were at or near maximum (916 degrees C) for the engines the last half of the roll. As I began the rotation at vr the nose seemed heavier than normal, but not, in my estimation, grossly irregular. The rotation to the takeoff attitude would be considered deliberate due to the slightly heavy nose, but the aircraft became airborne at V2 + 10 KTS. I would estimate that there was very little runway remaining. It was my opinion at the time that the main body gear must have come very close to the approach lights for 17R and may have even touched them. I did not feel anything that indicated contact with the lights nor did I receive a report from crew members, passenger or the tower to that effect. Nonetheless, it is a possibility. A physical examination of the aircraft revealed no indication of damage or contact. Supplemental information from acn 149679: the next day our chief pilot got a call from den complaining that we had hit the approach lights for 17R on our takeoff. There was nothing in the cockpit that indicated we hit the lights nor did anyone from the back mention any noise. Supplemental information from acn 149678: due to a normal takeoff roll for the first 2/3 of the runway and normal climb rate, the aircraft may have experienced a sudden surface wind change in the latter part of the takeoff roll.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB MAY HAVE TOUCHED LIGHTS ON DEP PATH DURING INITIAL CLIMB.

Narrative: I WAS PIC OF ACR WDB THAT DEPARTED DEN BND FOR HNL. THE WX WAS CLR, ATIS WIND WAS 110 DEGS AT 6 KTS, TEMP 84 DEGS F, DEP RWY USED WAS 35L. THE TKOF WAS MADE AT MAX GROSS WT FOR THE TEMP AND RWY WHICH NECESSITATED AN EXTREMELY LONG ROLL. DURING THE TKOF ROLL ACCELERATION SEEMED SLIGHTLY SLOW, BUT CONSIDERING ACFT WT AND TEMP, NOT ABNORMAL FOR THE CONDITIONS. THE EGT'S WERE AT OR NEAR MAX (916 DEGS C) FOR THE ENGS THE LAST HALF OF THE ROLL. AS I BEGAN THE ROTATION AT VR THE NOSE SEEMED HEAVIER THAN NORMAL, BUT NOT, IN MY ESTIMATION, GROSSLY IRREGULAR. THE ROTATION TO THE TKOF ATTITUDE WOULD BE CONSIDERED DELIBERATE DUE TO THE SLIGHTLY HVY NOSE, BUT THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE AT V2 + 10 KTS. I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE RWY REMAINING. IT WAS MY OPINION AT THE TIME THAT THE MAIN BODY GEAR MUST HAVE COME VERY CLOSE TO THE APCH LIGHTS FOR 17R AND MAY HAVE EVEN TOUCHED THEM. I DID NOT FEEL ANYTHING THAT INDICATED CONTACT WITH THE LIGHTS NOR DID I RECEIVE A RPT FROM CREW MEMBERS, PAX OR THE TWR TO THAT EFFECT. NONETHELESS, IT IS A POSSIBILITY. A PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO INDICATION OF DAMAGE OR CONTACT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 149679: THE NEXT DAY OUR CHIEF PLT GOT A CALL FROM DEN COMPLAINING THAT WE HAD HIT THE APCH LIGHTS FOR 17R ON OUR TKOF. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE COCKPIT THAT INDICATED WE HIT THE LIGHTS NOR DID ANYONE FROM THE BACK MENTION ANY NOISE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 149678: DUE TO A NORMAL TKOF ROLL FOR THE FIRST 2/3 OF THE RWY AND NORMAL CLB RATE, THE ACFT MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN SURFACE WIND CHANGE IN THE LATTER PART OF THE TKOF ROLL.

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.