Passenger comments about 'something extending from the wing.' flcs clear the runway to inspect.

Attributes
ACN	295710
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : holding 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 : 10000
ASRS Report	295710
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight was sitting on the runway 18L and had just received a takeoff clearance from tower, at the same time, a flight attendant calls the cockpit on the interphone to inform the crew that: 'a passenger loudly made a comment that something out of ordinary was extending from the trailing edge of the right wing.' the takeoff roll had not started. Flight informs the tower that it cannot accept the clearance and that it must exit the runway. Flight informs the tower that assistance is not required and that they are checking a problem out. Flight exits the runway. The aircraft is relocated on a taxiway near the end of runway 18L. First officer goes into the cabin to check 'what is hanging down from the trailing edge,' discovers that it is the outboard landing light which is in the extended position, informs the passenger of such, and returns to the cockpit. Flight returns to the runway and continues with the original flight plan. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. The only reason that I am writing to NASA is that the industry is under such scrutiny that crews have become somewhat paranoid and write anything and everything up in order to protect themselves.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX COMMENTS ABOUT 'SOMETHING EXTENDING FROM THE WING.' FLCS CLR THE RWY TO INSPECT.

Narrative: FLT WAS SITTING ON THE RWY 18L AND HAD JUST RECEIVED A TKOF CLRNC FROM TOWER, AT THE SAME TIME, A FLT ATTENDANT CALLS THE COCKPIT ON THE INTERPHONE TO INFORM THE CREW THAT: 'A PAX LOUDLY MADE A COMMENT THAT SOMETHING OUT OF ORDINARY WAS EXTENDING FROM THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE R WING.' THE TKOF ROLL HAD NOT STARTED. FLT INFORMS THE TWR THAT IT CANNOT ACCEPT THE CLRNC AND THAT IT MUST EXIT THE RWY. FLT INFORMS THE TWR THAT ASSISTANCE IS NOT REQUIRED AND THAT THEY ARE CHKING A PROB OUT. FLT EXITS THE RWY. THE ACFT IS RELOCATED ON A TXWY NEAR THE END OF RWY 18L. FO GOES INTO THE CABIN TO CHK 'WHAT IS HANGING DOWN FROM THE TRAILING EDGE,' DISCOVERS THAT IT IS THE OUTBOARD LNDG LIGHT WHICH IS IN THE EXTENDED POS, INFORMS THE PAX OF SUCH, AND RETURNS TO THE COCKPIT. FLT RETURNS TO THE RWY AND CONTINUES WITH THE ORIGINAL FLT PLAN. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE ONLY REASON THAT I AM WRITING TO NASA IS THAT THE INDUSTRY IS UNDER SUCH SCRUTINY THAT CREWS HAVE BECOME SOMEWHAT PARANOID AND WRITE ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING UP IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.

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.