MD80 crew forgot to extend the flaps prior to takeoff at stl.

Attributes
ACN	489805
Time
Date	200010
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	489805
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : tkof warning horn. other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Due to congestion on taxi-out, shutting down and restarting engine, and problems (distractions) with passenger getting out of seats, the taxi checklist was completely missed and upon applying power for takeoff, the warning horn sounded -- flaps/slats were not extended. I pulled power off, extended flaps and slats, checked was in order and then took off. The airplane must have gone 800-1200 ft down the runway before full power was set. Takeoff/climb/departure were all normal -- uneventful. In review, 1) I need to establish a habit for flap/slat extension. 2) I need to establish a 'chkpoint' or habitual spot to do taxi checklist. 3) I need to realize not all coplts will be helpful in jogging my memory, if I forget to call for checklist. 4) I need to do an 'informal' check of the killer items before calling for taxi/takeoff lists. 5) I need to not be suckered into ATC pressure to 'cleared for immediate takeoff.' I would also stop if that (god forbid) were to happen again to avoid eating up valuable runway. Afterwards, I realized that takeoff might not have been 'legal' inasmuch as it was not started exactly at departure end. In fact, very illegal. It is very sobering to realize that only a small warning horn kept my flight from being a replay of the air carrier MD80 crash. There is no excuse. Writing this out is helping to cement in my mind the seriousness of this and what I commit to doing differently in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW FORGOT TO EXTEND THE FLAPS PRIOR TO TKOF AT STL.

Narrative: DUE TO CONGESTION ON TAXI-OUT, SHUTTING DOWN AND RESTARTING ENG, AND PROBS (DISTRACTIONS) WITH PAX GETTING OUT OF SEATS, THE TAXI CHKLIST WAS COMPLETELY MISSED AND UPON APPLYING PWR FOR TKOF, THE WARNING HORN SOUNDED -- FLAPS/SLATS WERE NOT EXTENDED. I PULLED PWR OFF, EXTENDED FLAPS AND SLATS, CHKED WAS IN ORDER AND THEN TOOK OFF. THE AIRPLANE MUST HAVE GONE 800-1200 FT DOWN THE RWY BEFORE FULL PWR WAS SET. TKOF/CLB/DEP WERE ALL NORMAL -- UNEVENTFUL. IN REVIEW, 1) I NEED TO ESTABLISH A HABIT FOR FLAP/SLAT EXTENSION. 2) I NEED TO ESTABLISH A 'CHKPOINT' OR HABITUAL SPOT TO DO TAXI CHKLIST. 3) I NEED TO REALIZE NOT ALL COPLTS WILL BE HELPFUL IN JOGGING MY MEMORY, IF I FORGET TO CALL FOR CHKLIST. 4) I NEED TO DO AN 'INFORMAL' CHK OF THE KILLER ITEMS BEFORE CALLING FOR TAXI/TKOF LISTS. 5) I NEED TO NOT BE SUCKERED INTO ATC PRESSURE TO 'CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF.' I WOULD ALSO STOP IF THAT (GOD FORBID) WERE TO HAPPEN AGAIN TO AVOID EATING UP VALUABLE RWY. AFTERWARDS, I REALIZED THAT TKOF MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN 'LEGAL' INASMUCH AS IT WAS NOT STARTED EXACTLY AT DEP END. IN FACT, VERY ILLEGAL. IT IS VERY SOBERING TO REALIZE THAT ONLY A SMALL WARNING HORN KEPT MY FLT FROM BEING A REPLAY OF THE ACR MD80 CRASH. THERE IS NO EXCUSE. WRITING THIS OUT IS HELPING TO CEMENT IN MY MIND THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS AND WHAT I COMMIT TO DOING DIFFERENTLY IN THE FUTURE.

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.