Narrative:

Just before takeoff; I decided to do a quick align of the IRS at runway 31L. I taxied the aircraft before the realign was complete; thus stopping the process. I failed to recognize this had happened and was cleared for takeoff. I took off thinking the IRS abnormality would be self-correcting after takeoff. I then quickly realized this was a gross error on my part; as we had attitude information but no heading or navigation information from the IRS. Fortunately; the WX was excellent; and I decided I had no choice but to return to ZZZ. I landed a few mins later (overweight) on runway 31L. I made a smooth touchdown; and I used most of the runway to stop with almost no braking. We returned to the gate. Maintenance determined that they wanted to do the landing inspection at the hangar; thus taking the aircraft OTS. We changed equipment and left; arriving 4 hours late. There never was anything wrong with the IRS system. Operator error (mine) accounted for the entire problem. I could have delayed the takeoff; as my first officer advised me to do; got back in line; and we would have had plenty of time to align the IRS. It maybe would have resulted in a 20 min delay. I allowed myself to be rushed just before takeoff; ignored the advice of my first officer; was somewhat complacent because the WX was perfect; and exercised overall poor judgement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 CAPT DEPARTED WITH THE IRS'S IN QUICK ALIGN MODE. AS A RESULT OF NO HDG OR NAV INFO; THE FLT RETURNED TO DEP ARPT FOR OVERWT LNDG.

Narrative: JUST BEFORE TKOF; I DECIDED TO DO A QUICK ALIGN OF THE IRS AT RWY 31L. I TAXIED THE ACFT BEFORE THE REALIGN WAS COMPLETE; THUS STOPPING THE PROCESS. I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THIS HAD HAPPENED AND WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. I TOOK OFF THINKING THE IRS ABNORMALITY WOULD BE SELF-CORRECTING AFTER TKOF. I THEN QUICKLY REALIZED THIS WAS A GROSS ERROR ON MY PART; AS WE HAD ATTITUDE INFO BUT NO HDG OR NAV INFO FROM THE IRS. FORTUNATELY; THE WX WAS EXCELLENT; AND I DECIDED I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO RETURN TO ZZZ. I LANDED A FEW MINS LATER (OVERWT) ON RWY 31L. I MADE A SMOOTH TOUCHDOWN; AND I USED MOST OF THE RWY TO STOP WITH ALMOST NO BRAKING. WE RETURNED TO THE GATE. MAINT DETERMINED THAT THEY WANTED TO DO THE LNDG INSPECTION AT THE HANGAR; THUS TAKING THE ACFT OTS. WE CHANGED EQUIP AND LEFT; ARRIVING 4 HRS LATE. THERE NEVER WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE IRS SYS. OPERATOR ERROR (MINE) ACCOUNTED FOR THE ENTIRE PROB. I COULD HAVE DELAYED THE TKOF; AS MY FO ADVISED ME TO DO; GOT BACK IN LINE; AND WE WOULD HAVE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO ALIGN THE IRS. IT MAYBE WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A 20 MIN DELAY. I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE RUSHED JUST BEFORE TKOF; IGNORED THE ADVICE OF MY FO; WAS SOMEWHAT COMPLACENT BECAUSE THE WX WAS PERFECT; AND EXERCISED OVERALL POOR JUDGEMENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.