Narrative:

Scheduled passenger service flight, psp-lax was departing a few mins late. The temperature was reported as 99 degrees F, winds were light. In determining performance for takeoff, I determined that target torque for takeoff was 86.7 percent. Maximum weight for takeoff was approximately 15500 pounds, and we were a couple hundred pounds below that. It was my leg to fly and I briefed the captain on maximum weight and target torque. We lined up for takeoff on runway 30. The brakes were set and power brought up to takeoff power. Initially the engines made target torque, but as the temperature increased to red line and going through 70 KTS, the power levers had to be retarded to keep the engines from over temping. Just before V1, it was noted that the left engine was only producing 82 percent torque and the temperature (egt) was at 660 degrees C red line for takeoff. The right engine was also producing less than target torque, but more than the left engine. The takeoff should have been aborted. The captain was aware of the situation. There are many reasons that contributed to our continuing the flight: 1) we do not get paid for canceled flight, 2) all passenger would be inconvenienced as ours was the last flight out of psp for the night, 3) the captain and I would have to spend the night in psp, and may lose further pay the following day. Compounding this problem: if the takeoff isn't aborted, the engines cannot be written up. This incident was the third in a row. The same events had occurred on the previous 2 trips. Even if the company is told, unofficially, that the engines were not making torque no action is taken. The biggest problem is no cancellation pay! I only make about $1400 a month and am easily convinced to continue rather than lose pay and cancel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LTT FAILED TO ABORT TKOF AFTER THE ENG PWR OUTPUT WAS BELOW TKOF PWR REQUIRED DUE TO HIGH ENG TEMP.

Narrative: SCHEDULED PAX SVC FLT, PSP-LAX WAS DEPARTING A FEW MINS LATE. THE TEMP WAS RPTED AS 99 DEGS F, WINDS WERE LIGHT. IN DETERMINING PERFORMANCE FOR TKOF, I DETERMINED THAT TARGET TORQUE FOR TKOF WAS 86.7 PERCENT. MAX WT FOR TKOF WAS APPROX 15500 LBS, AND WE WERE A COUPLE HUNDRED POUNDS BELOW THAT. IT WAS MY LEG TO FLY AND I BRIEFED THE CAPT ON MAX WT AND TARGET TORQUE. WE LINED UP FOR TKOF ON RWY 30. THE BRAKES WERE SET AND PWR BROUGHT UP TO TKOF PWR. INITIALLY THE ENGS MADE TARGET TORQUE, BUT AS THE TEMP INCREASED TO RED LINE AND GOING THROUGH 70 KTS, THE PWR LEVERS HAD TO BE RETARDED TO KEEP THE ENGS FROM OVER TEMPING. JUST BEFORE V1, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE L ENG WAS ONLY PRODUCING 82 PERCENT TORQUE AND THE TEMP (EGT) WAS AT 660 DEGS C RED LINE FOR TKOF. THE R ENG WAS ALSO PRODUCING LESS THAN TARGET TORQUE, BUT MORE THAN THE L ENG. THE TKOF SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABORTED. THE CAPT WAS AWARE OF THE SIT. THERE ARE MANY REASONS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO OUR CONTINUING THE FLT: 1) WE DO NOT GET PAID FOR CANCELED FLT, 2) ALL PAX WOULD BE INCONVENIENCED AS OURS WAS THE LAST FLT OUT OF PSP FOR THE NIGHT, 3) THE CAPT AND I WOULD HAVE TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN PSP, AND MAY LOSE FURTHER PAY THE FOLLOWING DAY. COMPOUNDING THIS PROB: IF THE TKOF ISN'T ABORTED, THE ENGS CANNOT BE WRITTEN UP. THIS INCIDENT WAS THE THIRD IN A ROW. THE SAME EVENTS HAD OCCURRED ON THE PREVIOUS 2 TRIPS. EVEN IF THE COMPANY IS TOLD, UNOFFICIALLY, THAT THE ENGS WERE NOT MAKING TORQUE NO ACTION IS TAKEN. THE BIGGEST PROB IS NO CANCELLATION PAY! I ONLY MAKE ABOUT $1400 A MONTH AND AM EASILY CONVINCED TO CONTINUE RATHER THAN LOSE PAY AND CANCEL.

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.