A company deadheading flight crew member startles the flight crew of an medium large transport air c...

Attributes
ACN	258628
Time
Date	199312
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	258628
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Taxiing out for takeoff the flaps were lowered during the taxi check and the automatic slat fail light was noted. Since this light comes on once in a while, the normal procedure is to raise and lower the flaps again. The flaps were raised but were not extended immediately due to concern over changed taxi instructions by ATC. When we were #2 for takeoff the #2 engine was started and the remainder of the taxi checklist was done. As we turned on to taxiway a, I called for the before takeoff checklist. As we were #1 at that time, I did my own final check of flaps, slats, motors and horns. At the same time the first officer and I noticed the flaps were not down and we both reached for the handle and put them down. As the flaps were coming down we heard a loud knock on the door and someone yell 'flaps.' it turned out a deadheading pilot thought that we were going to forget to lower the flaps and was the one who beat on the door. After talking to the fsm and all else being normal, we continued the takeoff and a normal flight to dca. The flaps were put down later than normal, therefore, I can understand why a pilot would get a little excited. The intent was understandable but the way he let us know is debateable. All system were operating and at no time were we in danger of attempting a takeoff with no flaps.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMPANY DEADHEADING FLC MEMBER STARTLES THE FLC OF AN MLG ACR ACFT BY BEATING ON THE COCKPIT DOOR TO ADVISE THAT THE FLAPS ARE NOT SET FOR TKOF DURING TAXI FOR TKOF.

Narrative: TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF THE FLAPS WERE LOWERED DURING THE TAXI CHK AND THE AUTO SLAT FAIL LIGHT WAS NOTED. SINCE THIS LIGHT COMES ON ONCE IN A WHILE, THE NORMAL PROC IS TO RAISE AND LOWER THE FLAPS AGAIN. THE FLAPS WERE RAISED BUT WERE NOT EXTENDED IMMEDIATELY DUE TO CONCERN OVER CHANGED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS BY ATC. WHEN WE WERE #2 FOR TKOF THE #2 ENG WAS STARTED AND THE REMAINDER OF THE TAXI CHKLIST WAS DONE. AS WE TURNED ON TO TXWY A, I CALLED FOR THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST. AS WE WERE #1 AT THAT TIME, I DID MY OWN FINAL CHK OF FLAPS, SLATS, MOTORS AND HORNS. AT THE SAME TIME THE FO AND I NOTICED THE FLAPS WERE NOT DOWN AND WE BOTH REACHED FOR THE HANDLE AND PUT THEM DOWN. AS THE FLAPS WERE COMING DOWN WE HEARD A LOUD KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND SOMEONE YELL 'FLAPS.' IT TURNED OUT A DEADHEADING PLT THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOING TO FORGET TO LOWER THE FLAPS AND WAS THE ONE WHO BEAT ON THE DOOR. AFTER TALKING TO THE FSM AND ALL ELSE BEING NORMAL, WE CONTINUED THE TKOF AND A NORMAL FLT TO DCA. THE FLAPS WERE PUT DOWN LATER THAN NORMAL, THEREFORE, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY A PLT WOULD GET A LITTLE EXCITED. THE INTENT WAS UNDERSTANDABLE BUT THE WAY HE LET US KNOW IS DEBATEABLE. ALL SYS WERE OPERATING AND AT NO TIME WERE WE IN DANGER OF ATTEMPTING A TKOF WITH NO FLAPS.

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.

A company deadheading flight crew member startles the flight crew of an medium large transport air carrier aircraft by beating on the cockpit door to advise that the flaps are not set for takeoff during taxi for takeoff.