Narrative:

When takeoff clearance was received, we completed the below-the-line items, and as the first officer advanced the power the takeoff warning horn sounded. He immediately brought the power to idle and we informed the tower that we needed to exit the runway to check some things out. We cycled the speed brake several times to no avail, recycled the flaps to no avail, and finally the stabilizer trim, which did clear the takeoff warning. (It was definitely in the green band prior to this.) an uneventful flight followed and I noted the information for the irregularity report that I would fill out. I did not make a logbook entry because I knew (or thought I knew) that a speed brake reset was the only 'information' write-up crews were allowed to make and just chalked up the stabilizer trim correction as a momentary glitch problem solved. Later I felt that there was room for interpretation of the fom and I began wondering if I should have made an 'information only' entry for the stabilizer trim, or if I should have made a regular maintenance write-up or no write-up. Contacted maintenance to inform them that they may want to check out the system when the aircraft passed through a maintenance base. I should have taken my fom out to help clarify the situation. Also, I would definitely contact dispatch, maintenance, or a chief pilot for assistance and clarification. I never felt rushed or pressured to get the flight going, but I was 100% sure that no write-up was required. A couple of extra mins spent doublechking would have saved a lot more time in the end.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLC FAILS TO MAKE A LOGBOOK ENTRY FOR STABILIZER TRIM ANOMALY WHICH CAUSED A REJECTED TKOF.

Narrative: WHEN TKOF CLRNC WAS RECEIVED, WE COMPLETED THE BELOW-THE-LINE ITEMS, AND AS THE FO ADVANCED THE PWR THE TKOF WARNING HORN SOUNDED. HE IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT THE PWR TO IDLE AND WE INFORMED THE TWR THAT WE NEEDED TO EXIT THE RWY TO CHK SOME THINGS OUT. WE CYCLED THE SPD BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL, RECYCLED THE FLAPS TO NO AVAIL, AND FINALLY THE STABILIZER TRIM, WHICH DID CLR THE TKOF WARNING. (IT WAS DEFINITELY IN THE GREEN BAND PRIOR TO THIS.) AN UNEVENTFUL FLT FOLLOWED AND I NOTED THE INFO FOR THE IRREGULARITY RPT THAT I WOULD FILL OUT. I DID NOT MAKE A LOGBOOK ENTRY BECAUSE I KNEW (OR THOUGHT I KNEW) THAT A SPD BRAKE RESET WAS THE ONLY 'INFO' WRITE-UP CREWS WERE ALLOWED TO MAKE AND JUST CHALKED UP THE STABILIZER TRIM CORRECTION AS A MOMENTARY GLITCH PROB SOLVED. LATER I FELT THAT THERE WAS ROOM FOR INTERP OF THE FOM AND I BEGAN WONDERING IF I SHOULD HAVE MADE AN 'INFO ONLY' ENTRY FOR THE STABILIZER TRIM, OR IF I SHOULD HAVE MADE A REGULAR MAINT WRITE-UP OR NO WRITE-UP. CONTACTED MAINT TO INFORM THEM THAT THEY MAY WANT TO CHK OUT THE SYS WHEN THE ACFT PASSED THROUGH A MAINT BASE. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MY FOM OUT TO HELP CLARIFY THE SIT. ALSO, I WOULD DEFINITELY CONTACT DISPATCH, MAINT, OR A CHIEF PLT FOR ASSISTANCE AND CLARIFICATION. I NEVER FELT RUSHED OR PRESSURED TO GET THE FLT GOING, BUT I WAS 100% SURE THAT NO WRITE-UP WAS REQUIRED. A COUPLE OF EXTRA MINS SPENT DOUBLECHKING WOULD HAVE SAVED A LOT MORE TIME IN THE END.

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.