First officer of a DC9 rejected takeoff after the takeoff warning horn sounded. Subsequently found t...

Attributes
ACN	434342
Time
Date	199904
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	434342
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : tkof warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Cleared for takeoff on runway 27R in atl airport, first officer leg. As I started to add power, the takeoff warning horn sounded. Captain checked flap and trim position, but unable to silence horn. We told the tower that we needed to clear the runway and go back to the gate. Once clear of the runway, I looked over aircraft confign and noted the spoiler handle was out of the forward and disarm detent position. We taxied back and took off with no further problems. There is no item on the checklist prior to takeoff that says to check for the position of the spoiler handle. I have noticed in the past that some captain's will cycle the spoiler handle to bleed down hydraulic pressure after engine shutdown at the gate (not standard procedure). I feel the captain who flew the aircraft before us did this and did not fully seat the handle (this was our first leg of the day). I feel this problem can be eliminated if these capts stopped this nonstandard practice or if it were added to the checklist to check the position of the spoiler handle somewhere before takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A DC9 REJECTED TKOF AFTER THE TKOF WARNING HORN SOUNDED. SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND TO BE CAUSED BY THE SPOILER HANDLE OUT OF ITS STOWED DETENT.

Narrative: CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 27R IN ATL ARPT, FO LEG. AS I STARTED TO ADD PWR, THE TKOF WARNING HORN SOUNDED. CAPT CHKED FLAP AND TRIM POS, BUT UNABLE TO SILENCE HORN. WE TOLD THE TWR THAT WE NEEDED TO CLR THE RWY AND GO BACK TO THE GATE. ONCE CLR OF THE RWY, I LOOKED OVER ACFT CONFIGN AND NOTED THE SPOILER HANDLE WAS OUT OF THE FORWARD AND DISARM DETENT POS. WE TAXIED BACK AND TOOK OFF WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. THERE IS NO ITEM ON THE CHKLIST PRIOR TO TKOF THAT SAYS TO CHK FOR THE POS OF THE SPOILER HANDLE. I HAVE NOTICED IN THE PAST THAT SOME CAPT'S WILL CYCLE THE SPOILER HANDLE TO BLEED DOWN HYD PRESSURE AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN AT THE GATE (NOT STANDARD PROC). I FEEL THE CAPT WHO FLEW THE ACFT BEFORE US DID THIS AND DID NOT FULLY SEAT THE HANDLE (THIS WAS OUR FIRST LEG OF THE DAY). I FEEL THIS PROB CAN BE ELIMINATED IF THESE CAPTS STOPPED THIS NONSTANDARD PRACTICE OR IF IT WERE ADDED TO THE CHKLIST TO CHK THE POS OF THE SPOILER HANDLE SOMEWHERE BEFORE TKOF.

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.

First officer of a DC9 rejected takeoff after the takeoff warning horn sounded. Subsequently found to be caused by the spoiler handle out of its stowed detent.