Narrative:

On taxi out lax to runway 7L when #3 for takeoff, heard tower give wind as from southwest. We looked up penalty for tailwind takeoff -- was 2349 pounds/KT tailwind. We checked corrected gross weight for takeoff as 422.5. When cleared onto runway we asked for latest wind. It was 220/6. I realized that put us right up to maximum takeoff gross weight for runway 7L at taxiway 63 intersection for takeoff and decided to use the whole length (12091 ft vs 11590 ft at taxiway 63). I turned right and made a hard 180 degree turn at end of runway. The aircraft shuddered heavily during last 90 degree of turn. We were then given takeoff clearance and takeoff was normal. We were notified by ACARS at 200 mi offshore lax to call maintenance who advised us that an aircraft had reported a widebody transport making a 180 degree turn on runway had hit a taxiway light. We also talked to dispatch later en route expecting normal landing. Briefed flight attendants of possible irregular landing and advised arrival ground personnel to check tires for damage just prior to setting brakes. After normal landing, maintenance discovered cuts in starboard nose tire and replaced same. Takeoff data lax was computed using dispatcherþs recommendation of flaps 5, runway 7 lx weights and correction. I should have taken the time to fully check our legal weight for takeoff. We were legal for this intersection takeoff, even with this tailwind. I still thought though that unused 500 ft was available to me and that it should have been no problem to make the 180 degree turn on the 150 ft wide runway. I also should have asked for more crew input before deciding to go for the extra 500 ft. My concern was for getting the aircraft off the east end of the runway and not so much for the 180 degree turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB HIT TAXI LIGHT WHILE MANEUVERING TO CHANGE TKOF POS. ANOTHER ACR ACFT RPTED THIS TO THE TWR.

Narrative: ON TAXI OUT LAX TO RWY 7L WHEN #3 FOR TKOF, HEARD TWR GIVE WIND AS FROM SW. WE LOOKED UP PENALTY FOR TAILWIND TKOF -- WAS 2349 POUNDS/KT TAILWIND. WE CHKED CORRECTED GROSS WT FOR TKOF AS 422.5. WHEN CLRED ONTO RWY WE ASKED FOR LATEST WIND. IT WAS 220/6. I REALIZED THAT PUT US RIGHT UP TO MAX TKOF GROSS WT FOR RWY 7L AT TAXIWAY 63 INTXN FOR TKOF AND DECIDED TO USE THE WHOLE LENGTH (12091 FT VS 11590 FT AT TAXIWAY 63). I TURNED R AND MADE A HARD 180 DEG TURN AT END OF RWY. THE ACFT SHUDDERED HEAVILY DURING LAST 90 DEG OF TURN. WE WERE THEN GIVEN TKOF CLRNC AND TKOF WAS NORMAL. WE WERE NOTIFIED BY ACARS AT 200 MI OFFSHORE LAX TO CALL MAINT WHO ADVISED US THAT AN ACFT HAD RPTED A WDB MAKING A 180 DEG TURN ON RWY HAD HIT A TAXIWAY LIGHT. WE ALSO TALKED TO DISPATCH LATER ENRTE EXPECTING NORMAL LNDG. BRIEFED FLT ATTENDANTS OF POSSIBLE IRREGULAR LNDG AND ADVISED ARR GND PERSONNEL TO CHK TIRES FOR DAMAGE JUST PRIOR TO SETTING BRAKES. AFTER NORMAL LNDG, MAINT DISCOVERED CUTS IN STARBOARD NOSE TIRE AND REPLACED SAME. TKOF DATA LAX WAS COMPUTED USING DISPATCHERþS RECOMMENDATION OF FLAPS 5, RWY 7 LX WTS AND CORRECTION. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO FULLY CHK OUR LEGAL WT FOR TKOF. WE WERE LEGAL FOR THIS INTXN TKOF, EVEN WITH THIS TAILWIND. I STILL THOUGHT THOUGH THAT UNUSED 500 FT WAS AVAILABLE TO ME AND THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO PROBLEM TO MAKE THE 180 DEG TURN ON THE 150 FT WIDE RWY. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR MORE CREW INPUT BEFORE DECIDING TO GO FOR THE EXTRA 500 FT. MY CONCERN WAS FOR GETTING THE ACFT OFF THE E END OF THE RWY AND NOT SO MUCH FOR THE 180 DEG TURN.

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.