Narrative:

Takeoff started with flaps 1 degree instead of flaps 5 degrees. I briefed a flaps 5 degree takeoff, then, out of habit, briefed flaps 1 spends and set the bugs for these. PNF did not catch. At taxi he called for flaps 1 degree and I selected same. Our weight and balance had to be revised because the station had used the wrong runway and our souls on board count was off. We were planned 3 pounds under our structural weight of 124500 pounds. At the last min, several bags had to be removed. We were concerned that they actually had been removed and I spent several mins on the radio making the revisions and questioning the actual removal of bags. We had planned a reduced thrust takeoff, but deleted it because of our concerns. During the taxi checklist, the PNF and I did not catch the improper flap setting. We had 6 mins between taxi and takeoff. Company procedure on takeoff is for the PNF to call 80 KTS, PF 'checked' and the PNF to now check and call 'thrust and flaps normal.' as the PNF called 80 KTS, I caught the error and selected flaps 5 degrees. Flaps reached 5 degrees by takeoff and we were airborne well before the end of the runway. The departure was obstacle limited and that was the reason for flaps 5 degrees. Problem arose because of distraction and a fear that the station was trying to overgross us. An option could have been to reject, but speed would have been approximately 120 KTS. Flaps 1 degree V1 was 146 KTS, flaps 5 degrees V1 was 140 KTS. Problem also helped by company performance cards. When held in place in performance book, flap setting is hidden. We were also rushed at takeoff, cleared for an immediate rolling takeoff. Was 6 mins taxi to takeoff. Most of that I was on radio to operations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 ACFT ON TKOF ROLL HAD FLAPS SET AT 1 DEG WHICH WAS INCORRECT DUE TO OBSTACLE TKOF AND AIRSPD BUG SETTINGS. PF, FO, RECOGNIZED THE PROB ON TKOF ROLL AND SELECTED FLAPS 5 DEGS PRIOR TO ROTATION.

Narrative: TKOF STARTED WITH FLAPS 1 DEG INSTEAD OF FLAPS 5 DEGS. I BRIEFED A FLAPS 5 DEG TKOF, THEN, OUT OF HABIT, BRIEFED FLAPS 1 SPENDS AND SET THE BUGS FOR THESE. PNF DID NOT CATCH. AT TAXI HE CALLED FOR FLAPS 1 DEG AND I SELECTED SAME. OUR WT AND BAL HAD TO BE REVISED BECAUSE THE STATION HAD USED THE WRONG RWY AND OUR SOULS ON BOARD COUNT WAS OFF. WE WERE PLANNED 3 LBS UNDER OUR STRUCTURAL WT OF 124500 LBS. AT THE LAST MIN, SEVERAL BAGS HAD TO BE REMOVED. WE WERE CONCERNED THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAD BEEN REMOVED AND I SPENT SEVERAL MINS ON THE RADIO MAKING THE REVISIONS AND QUESTIONING THE ACTUAL REMOVAL OF BAGS. WE HAD PLANNED A REDUCED THRUST TKOF, BUT DELETED IT BECAUSE OF OUR CONCERNS. DURING THE TAXI CHKLIST, THE PNF AND I DID NOT CATCH THE IMPROPER FLAP SETTING. WE HAD 6 MINS BTWN TAXI AND TKOF. COMPANY PROC ON TKOF IS FOR THE PNF TO CALL 80 KTS, PF 'CHKED' AND THE PNF TO NOW CHK AND CALL 'THRUST AND FLAPS NORMAL.' AS THE PNF CALLED 80 KTS, I CAUGHT THE ERROR AND SELECTED FLAPS 5 DEGS. FLAPS REACHED 5 DEGS BY TKOF AND WE WERE AIRBORNE WELL BEFORE THE END OF THE RWY. THE DEP WAS OBSTACLE LIMITED AND THAT WAS THE REASON FOR FLAPS 5 DEGS. PROB AROSE BECAUSE OF DISTR AND A FEAR THAT THE STATION WAS TRYING TO OVERGROSS US. AN OPTION COULD HAVE BEEN TO REJECT, BUT SPD WOULD HAVE BEEN APPROX 120 KTS. FLAPS 1 DEG V1 WAS 146 KTS, FLAPS 5 DEGS V1 WAS 140 KTS. PROB ALSO HELPED BY COMPANY PERFORMANCE CARDS. WHEN HELD IN PLACE IN PERFORMANCE BOOK, FLAP SETTING IS HIDDEN. WE WERE ALSO RUSHED AT TKOF, CLRED FOR AN IMMEDIATE ROLLING TKOF. WAS 6 MINS TAXI TO TKOF. MOST OF THAT I WAS ON RADIO TO OPS.

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.