Low speed abort in a B737-400 when takeoff warning sounds alert.

Attributes
ACN	343511
Time
Date	199608
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	343511
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	343185
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : rejected takeoff other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Delayed on ground for flow to ewr. Taxied to holding area near takeoff runway 28R. As our expect 'wheels up' time approached. Started #2 engine (which was shut down), completed checklists, and cleared for takeoff in a short period of time. As we taxied on the runway, takeoff confign warning sounded. After quick check, we decided to taxi off runway at first exit and take our time to find the problem. The captain made a quick PA announcement while I talked to the tower. Unfortunately, to notify the tower, I used the word 'aborting.' we taxied onto the taxiway and made a check. The flap lever was not securely in the flap 5 detent. After resetting the flap lever into the detent, the confign warning was silent. We taxied down for a normal takeoff. After hundreds of takeoffs, to not immediately see this seems unusual. The flap lever is not easily visible from the captain's side because the thrust levers block his view. The takeoff warning did what it was designed to do, and we pulled off and took care of the problem as we were supposed to do. The main thing I could have done is to have just asked to taxi off the runway and therefore not draw attention to the situation unnecessarily. Additionally, a confign test switch to check confign prior to pulling on the runway should be installed and a confign check added to the checklist 'line items.' supplemental information from acn 343185: first officer used word 'abort' to pit tower, but we didn't 'abort' since we were never above taxi speed and cleared runway easily. (Need to have warning test system.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW SPD ABORT IN A B737-400 WHEN TKOF WARNING SOUNDS ALERT.

Narrative: DELAYED ON GND FOR FLOW TO EWR. TAXIED TO HOLDING AREA NEAR TKOF RWY 28R. AS OUR EXPECT 'WHEELS UP' TIME APCHED. STARTED #2 ENG (WHICH WAS SHUT DOWN), COMPLETED CHKLISTS, AND CLRED FOR TKOF IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. AS WE TAXIED ON THE RWY, TKOF CONFIGN WARNING SOUNDED. AFTER QUICK CHK, WE DECIDED TO TAXI OFF RWY AT FIRST EXIT AND TAKE OUR TIME TO FIND THE PROB. THE CAPT MADE A QUICK PA ANNOUNCEMENT WHILE I TALKED TO THE TWR. UNFORTUNATELY, TO NOTIFY THE TWR, I USED THE WORD 'ABORTING.' WE TAXIED ONTO THE TXWY AND MADE A CHK. THE FLAP LEVER WAS NOT SECURELY IN THE FLAP 5 DETENT. AFTER RESETTING THE FLAP LEVER INTO THE DETENT, THE CONFIGN WARNING WAS SILENT. WE TAXIED DOWN FOR A NORMAL TKOF. AFTER HUNDREDS OF TKOFS, TO NOT IMMEDIATELY SEE THIS SEEMS UNUSUAL. THE FLAP LEVER IS NOT EASILY VISIBLE FROM THE CAPT'S SIDE BECAUSE THE THRUST LEVERS BLOCK HIS VIEW. THE TKOF WARNING DID WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO, AND WE PULLED OFF AND TOOK CARE OF THE PROB AS WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO. THE MAIN THING I COULD HAVE DONE IS TO HAVE JUST ASKED TO TAXI OFF THE RWY AND THEREFORE NOT DRAW ATTN TO THE SIT UNNECESSARILY. ADDITIONALLY, A CONFIGN TEST SWITCH TO CHK CONFIGN PRIOR TO PULLING ON THE RWY SHOULD BE INSTALLED AND A CONFIGN CHK ADDED TO THE CHKLIST 'LINE ITEMS.' SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 343185: FO USED WORD 'ABORT' TO PIT TWR, BUT WE DIDN'T 'ABORT' SINCE WE WERE NEVER ABOVE TAXI SPD AND CLRED RWY EASILY. (NEED TO HAVE WARNING TEST SYS.)

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.