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Mdt starting takeoff runway 3 at dca encountered jet blast from large transport moving from hold area to runway 36.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 172863 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199103 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dca |
| State Reference | DC |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Transport |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff |
| Route In Use | departure other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 3900 flight time type : 1800 |
| ASRS Report | 172863 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : ground less severe other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : regained aircraft control |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
| Airport | other physical facility |
Narrative:
The controller advised large transport X that he would be next for takeoff on runway 35 at dca. At the same time the controller cleared us for takeoff on runway 3. As I began to bring the power levers to takeoff torque, the large transport began adding power to move up to the #1 position for 36. The large transport thrust was pointed across our runway just in front of us. As we passed through this area, the aircraft began to slide to the left, somewhat out of control. My only recourse was to pull the power off and ride it out. It only lasted 1 or 2 seconds, and the aircraft straightened out. I added takeoff power and continued. After takeoff, the captain mentioned to the tower controller that he should, in the future, remind the aircraft in the block of 36, to hold the thrust until the aircraft departing from 3 is clear of this area. The controller seemed somewhat uninterested in my captain's statement. This is not an isolated occurrence, and the mdt is probably the largest aircraft to use this runway on a regular basis. Other aircraft include commuters and a host of GA aircraft of these types. Ours would probably be the worst to be in when this occurs, due to its large side surface area. As to any solution to this problem, as pilots we can be more vigilant to identify this situation before we begin our takeoff. This requires us to do 1 of 2 things--either ask the tower to ask the pilot in the block of 36 to hold his power for the departing aircraft behind him, or taxi through this area before adding full takeoff. This latter solution brings up another problem. This will reduce the available runway for takeoff. Again, this is not a real problem for all, but some of the aircraft types listed may need all of this runway for a safe operation. ATC needs to be on the ball, and show a little more concern for the aircraft they are handling. This would eliminate us a pilots having to ask a third party to ask the second party to hold his thrust and clear up all this confusion.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MDT STARTING TKOF RWY 3 AT DCA ENCOUNTERED JET BLAST FROM LGT MOVING FROM HOLD AREA TO RWY 36.
Narrative: THE CTLR ADVISED LGT X THAT HE WOULD BE NEXT FOR TKOF ON RWY 35 AT DCA. AT THE SAME TIME THE CTLR CLRED US FOR TKOF ON RWY 3. AS I BEGAN TO BRING THE PWR LEVERS TO TKOF TORQUE, THE LGT BEGAN ADDING PWR TO MOVE UP TO THE #1 POS FOR 36. THE LGT THRUST WAS POINTED ACROSS OUR RWY JUST IN FRONT OF US. AS WE PASSED THROUGH THIS AREA, THE ACFT BEGAN TO SLIDE TO THE LEFT, SOMEWHAT OUT OF CTL. MY ONLY RECOURSE WAS TO PULL THE PWR OFF AND RIDE IT OUT. IT ONLY LASTED 1 OR 2 SECS, AND THE ACFT STRAIGHTENED OUT. I ADDED TKOF PWR AND CONTINUED. AFTER TKOF, THE CAPT MENTIONED TO THE TWR CTLR THAT HE SHOULD, IN THE FUTURE, REMIND THE ACFT IN THE BLOCK OF 36, TO HOLD THE THRUST UNTIL THE ACFT DEPARTING FROM 3 IS CLR OF THIS AREA. THE CTLR SEEMED SOMEWHAT UNINTERESTED IN MY CAPT'S STATEMENT. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE, AND THE MDT IS PROBABLY THE LARGEST ACFT TO USE THIS RWY ON A REGULAR BASIS. OTHER ACFT INCLUDE COMMUTERS AND A HOST OF GA ACFT OF THESE TYPES. OURS WOULD PROBABLY BE THE WORST TO BE IN WHEN THIS OCCURS, DUE TO ITS LARGE SIDE SURFACE AREA. AS TO ANY SOLUTION TO THIS PROB, AS PLTS WE CAN BE MORE VIGILANT TO IDENT THIS SITUATION BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR TKOF. THIS REQUIRES US TO DO 1 OF 2 THINGS--EITHER ASK THE TWR TO ASK THE PLT IN THE BLOCK OF 36 TO HOLD HIS PWR FOR THE DEPARTING ACFT BEHIND HIM, OR TAXI THROUGH THIS AREA BEFORE ADDING FULL TKOF. THIS LATTER SOLUTION BRINGS UP ANOTHER PROB. THIS WILL REDUCE THE AVAILABLE RWY FOR TKOF. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A REAL PROB FOR ALL, BUT SOME OF THE ACFT TYPES LISTED MAY NEED ALL OF THIS RWY FOR A SAFE OPERATION. ATC NEEDS TO BE ON THE BALL, AND SHOW A LITTLE MORE CONCERN FOR THE ACFT THEY ARE HANDLING. THIS WOULD ELIMINATE US A PLTS HAVING TO ASK A THIRD PARTY TO ASK THE SECOND PARTY TO HOLD HIS THRUST AND CLR UP ALL THIS CONFUSION.
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.