Narrative:

It was a hot day in the high desert with density altitude above 7000 ft MSL and outside air temperature at 34 degrees C. Preflight, start and taxi were normal for the 3 of us. This was our first trip together, and the first leg. The so (flight engineer) handed us the takeoff data card and we set up the airspeed bugs and power settings accordingly. The copilot checked the weight data sheet in accordance with company policy, and verified our assigned runway, stabilizer setting and v-spds. Power setting numbers are left to the engineer. I anticipated hot-running engines due to the high outside air temperature, and it's a good thing I did! The engines spooled up to target settings and all looked good. The copilot, as PNF, verified power set and engine instruments normal. As our speed approached 100 KTS it became apparent that engine maximum temperatures would be exceeded if I did not begin to retard the throttles. This I did. I made the 'go' decision and directed the copilot to monitor the engine temperatures and reduce the power as needed to the scheduled destination without further incident and we discussed our engine temperature question further. Maintenance folks were consulted and recommended engine run-ups to verify power settings and temperatures. While determining target settings for the engine run, I discovered the source of the problem. The flight engineer, while completing the takeoff data card, had mistakenly used 34 degrees F to determine power setting targets and not 34 degrees C. Major difference! Both myself and the copilot, despite our experience on the jet, failed to note or question the power settings. Obviously, the settings we reduced during the takeoff came close to the correct ones. I will recommend that power settings be printed on final weight and balance paperwork for the copilot to check.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLC SETS THE WRONG EPR SETTING FOR A HIGH TEMP, HIGH ALT TKOF AND NEARLY EXCEEDS THE ALLOWABLE EGT UNTIL PWR REDUCTIONS CORRECT THE SIT ON TKOF AT SLC, UT.

Narrative: IT WAS A HOT DAY IN THE HIGH DESERT WITH DENSITY ALT ABOVE 7000 FT MSL AND OUTSIDE AIR TEMP AT 34 DEGS C. PREFLT, START AND TAXI WERE NORMAL FOR THE 3 OF US. THIS WAS OUR FIRST TRIP TOGETHER, AND THE FIRST LEG. THE SO (FE) HANDED US THE TKOF DATA CARD AND WE SET UP THE AIRSPD BUGS AND PWR SETTINGS ACCORDINGLY. THE COPLT CHKED THE WT DATA SHEET IN ACCORDANCE WITH COMPANY POLICY, AND VERIFIED OUR ASSIGNED RWY, STABILIZER SETTING AND V-SPDS. PWR SETTING NUMBERS ARE LEFT TO THE ENGINEER. I ANTICIPATED HOT-RUNNING ENGS DUE TO THE HIGH OUTSIDE AIR TEMP, AND IT'S A GOOD THING I DID! THE ENGS SPOOLED UP TO TARGET SETTINGS AND ALL LOOKED GOOD. THE COPLT, AS PNF, VERIFIED PWR SET AND ENG INSTS NORMAL. AS OUR SPD APCHED 100 KTS IT BECAME APPARENT THAT ENG MAX TEMPS WOULD BE EXCEEDED IF I DID NOT BEGIN TO RETARD THE THROTTLES. THIS I DID. I MADE THE 'GO' DECISION AND DIRECTED THE COPLT TO MONITOR THE ENG TEMPS AND REDUCE THE PWR AS NEEDED TO THE SCHEDULED DEST WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AND WE DISCUSSED OUR ENG TEMP QUESTION FURTHER. MAINT FOLKS WERE CONSULTED AND RECOMMENDED ENG RUN-UPS TO VERIFY PWR SETTINGS AND TEMPS. WHILE DETERMINING TARGET SETTINGS FOR THE ENG RUN, I DISCOVERED THE SOURCE OF THE PROB. THE FE, WHILE COMPLETING THE TKOF DATA CARD, HAD MISTAKENLY USED 34 DEGS F TO DETERMINE PWR SETTING TARGETS AND NOT 34 DEGS C. MAJOR DIFFERENCE! BOTH MYSELF AND THE COPLT, DESPITE OUR EXPERIENCE ON THE JET, FAILED TO NOTE OR QUESTION THE PWR SETTINGS. OBVIOUSLY, THE SETTINGS WE REDUCED DURING THE TKOF CAME CLOSE TO THE CORRECT ONES. I WILL RECOMMEND THAT PWR SETTINGS BE PRINTED ON FINAL WT AND BAL PAPERWORK FOR THE COPLT TO CHK.

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.