A medium large transport aborts takeoff in lax because the flaps were never set for departure.

Attributes
ACN	360759
Time
Date	199702
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 7300 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	360759
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	360488
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : rejected takeoff
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On initial power application for takeoff we realized our flaps were not in the desired off setting. We closed the throttles and exited the runway. We reset the flaps to the desired takeoff setting, executed the checklists again, and continued with a normal flight. The problem arose by being overloaded with changes while having a short taxi and quick takeoff clearance. We were delayed getting our weight and balance data, delayed getting an amended dispatch release for an autoplt MEL, a runway change, and having to reprogram the computer with V1, vr, V2 numbers twice. We had completed all the checklists with proper responses but had many distractions during a period of high workload and a limited amount of time to complete all the required items. On initial power application for takeoff, the takeoff warning horn sounded. We pulled back the power and told tower we'd like to pull off the runway to check the aircraft. After pulling off the runway we found the flaps were not in the correct position for takeoff. We were shocked that this had happened to us -- we are careful! But it had. We had been delayed on pushback, delayed getting our weight and balance data, delayed getting an amended release for an autoplt MEL, runway change and short taxi, reprogrammed the computers, then tower hurried to get us off. We knew we had done everything, and done it correctly. And we completed all the checklists. The responses were correct, but the flaps were not. After clearing the runway we very deliberately and methodically ran all the checklists again. We then made a normal takeoff having learned a great lesson -- after 27 yrs of flying, it can happen to me. I feel I should also tell you that the first officer and I both already knew how important the strict adherence to checklists is. We're both highly experienced, conscientious, alert, interested, and share a love of flying. We work very well together and nothing gets by us. We are very careful, and when the workload gets heavier, we are even more careful. But the flaps were in the wrong position. Two very professional pilots screwed up. And it was my responsibility. It won't happen again, or rather I should say, I'll do everything in my power not to let it happen.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MLG ABORTS TKOF IN LAX BECAUSE THE FLAPS WERE NEVER SET FOR DEP.

Narrative: ON INITIAL PWR APPLICATION FOR TKOF WE REALIZED OUR FLAPS WERE NOT IN THE DESIRED OFF SETTING. WE CLOSED THE THROTTLES AND EXITED THE RWY. WE RESET THE FLAPS TO THE DESIRED TKOF SETTING, EXECUTED THE CHKLISTS AGAIN, AND CONTINUED WITH A NORMAL FLT. THE PROB AROSE BY BEING OVERLOADED WITH CHANGES WHILE HAVING A SHORT TAXI AND QUICK TKOF CLRNC. WE WERE DELAYED GETTING OUR WT AND BAL DATA, DELAYED GETTING AN AMENDED DISPATCH RELEASE FOR AN AUTOPLT MEL, A RWY CHANGE, AND HAVING TO REPROGRAM THE COMPUTER WITH V1, VR, V2 NUMBERS TWICE. WE HAD COMPLETED ALL THE CHKLISTS WITH PROPER RESPONSES BUT HAD MANY DISTRACTIONS DURING A PERIOD OF HIGH WORKLOAD AND A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME TO COMPLETE ALL THE REQUIRED ITEMS. ON INITIAL PWR APPLICATION FOR TKOF, THE TKOF WARNING HORN SOUNDED. WE PULLED BACK THE PWR AND TOLD TWR WE'D LIKE TO PULL OFF THE RWY TO CHK THE ACFT. AFTER PULLING OFF THE RWY WE FOUND THE FLAPS WERE NOT IN THE CORRECT POS FOR TKOF. WE WERE SHOCKED THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED TO US -- WE ARE CAREFUL! BUT IT HAD. WE HAD BEEN DELAYED ON PUSHBACK, DELAYED GETTING OUR WT AND BAL DATA, DELAYED GETTING AN AMENDED RELEASE FOR AN AUTOPLT MEL, RWY CHANGE AND SHORT TAXI, REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTERS, THEN TWR HURRIED TO GET US OFF. WE KNEW WE HAD DONE EVERYTHING, AND DONE IT CORRECTLY. AND WE COMPLETED ALL THE CHKLISTS. THE RESPONSES WERE CORRECT, BUT THE FLAPS WERE NOT. AFTER CLRING THE RWY WE VERY DELIBERATELY AND METHODICALLY RAN ALL THE CHKLISTS AGAIN. WE THEN MADE A NORMAL TKOF HAVING LEARNED A GREAT LESSON -- AFTER 27 YRS OF FLYING, IT CAN HAPPEN TO ME. I FEEL I SHOULD ALSO TELL YOU THAT THE FO AND I BOTH ALREADY KNEW HOW IMPORTANT THE STRICT ADHERENCE TO CHKLISTS IS. WE'RE BOTH HIGHLY EXPERIENCED, CONSCIENTIOUS, ALERT, INTERESTED, AND SHARE A LOVE OF FLYING. WE WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER AND NOTHING GETS BY US. WE ARE VERY CAREFUL, AND WHEN THE WORKLOAD GETS HEAVIER, WE ARE EVEN MORE CAREFUL. BUT THE FLAPS WERE IN THE WRONG POS. TWO VERY PROFESSIONAL PLTS SCREWED UP. AND IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY. IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN, OR RATHER I SHOULD SAY, I'LL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER NOT TO LET IT HAPPEN.

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.