Large dents in departure end of runway 25R.

Attributes
ACN	204975
Time
Date	199203
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las
State Reference	NV
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 22000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	204975
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	205320
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

We were operating las-sfo and had been cleared for takeoff on runway 25R by las tower. As the first officer released the brakes and spooled up the engines (as preparation for engaging the autothrottles) we felt the aircraft bounce up and down in a motion similar to that made by a deflating or flat tire. The first officer retarded the thrust levers and we told the tower that we suspected a tire problem. We were cleared, after brief discussions with the tower and ground control to a clear ramp area. We requested maintenance assistance from las operations. Maintenance checked the tires and gear and signed off the maintenance log with no problem found and we were again cleared to takeoff. By now it was after sundown and as we took the runway the landing lights revealed that there were numerous bowling ball sized dimples or dents in the surface of the takeoff end of runway 25R. What we had initially suspected was a tire problem was merely demonstration of the rough terrain capability. We successfully completed the takeoff. We commend the personnel in las tower, ground control and the las airport safety personnel for their support and consideration. A great deal of initial and resurface work is ongoing there and perhaps the takeoff end of 25R is on the 'to do' list. If not it should be soon.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LARGE DENTS IN DEP END OF RWY 25R.

Narrative: WE WERE OPERATING LAS-SFO AND HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 25R BY LAS TWR. AS THE FO RELEASED THE BRAKES AND SPOOLED UP THE ENGS (AS PREPARATION FOR ENGAGING THE AUTOTHROTTLES) WE FELT THE ACFT BOUNCE UP AND DOWN IN A MOTION SIMILAR TO THAT MADE BY A DEFLATING OR FLAT TIRE. THE FO RETARDED THE THRUST LEVERS AND WE TOLD THE TWR THAT WE SUSPECTED A TIRE PROBLEM. WE WERE CLRED, AFTER BRIEF DISCUSSIONS WITH THE TWR AND GND CTL TO A CLR RAMP AREA. WE REQUESTED MAINT ASSISTANCE FROM LAS OPS. MAINT CHKED THE TIRES AND GEAR AND SIGNED OFF THE MAINT LOG WITH NO PROBLEM FOUND AND WE WERE AGAIN CLRED TO TKOF. BY NOW IT WAS AFTER SUNDOWN AND AS WE TOOK THE RWY THE LNDG LIGHTS REVEALED THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS BOWLING BALL SIZED DIMPLES OR DENTS IN THE SURFACE OF THE TKOF END OF RWY 25R. WHAT WE HAD INITIALLY SUSPECTED WAS A TIRE PROBLEM WAS MERELY DEMONSTRATION OF THE ROUGH TERRAIN CAPABILITY. WE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE TKOF. WE COMMEND THE PERSONNEL IN LAS TWR, GND CTL AND THE LAS ARPT SAFETY PERSONNEL FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND CONSIDERATION. A GREAT DEAL OF INITIAL AND RESURFACE WORK IS ONGOING THERE AND PERHAPS THE TKOF END OF 25R IS ON THE 'TO DO' LIST. IF NOT IT SHOULD BE SOON.

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.