Narrative:

Takeoff was normal; and at 1000 ft we started cleaning up normally. After calling for flaps up; we were directed to change to departure frequency. After checking in with departure; we were given a heading to intercept the outbound radial to sagme on the lindy 2 departure. While under 3000 ft; I set the MCP for level change (210 KIAS) and heading; with VOR localizer armed for the departure radial; and turned on the autoplt. The first officer set up the FMC to intercept the radial from our directed heading and informed me that LNAV was available. At that point; I engaged and armed the LNAV. At 3000 ft; I increased the level change speed to 250 KIAS. During the climb; I noted the aircraft only accelerated to 230 KIAS and I had a flashing character '8' in the MCP airspeed window. I wondered why I had the flashing '8' and turned both flight directors off and then back on. I still had the flashing '8.' I turn turned off the autoplt and the flight directors; accelerated to 250 KIAS; and continued the climb out. I re-engaged the autoplt. At 250 KIAS the aircraft had an abnormal vibration. I started looking over the cockpit looking for something. I noted the landing gear handle was in the 'off' position. I did not note the flap indicator; nor the led leading edge lights. Looking at the center console; I saw that the flap handle was at the flaps 1 degree position. I then noted the flap indicator at flaps 1 degree. I do not remember if the led lights were on. I am sure they were. After reconfiguring the aircraft; I knew exactly why we had the flashing '8' on the MCP and it would only hold 230 on the climb out. The aircraft was smarter than the first officer and I. Above 10000 ft; we contacted dispatch via ACARS and notified them that we had flown the aircraft at 250 KIAS with flaps 1 degree; overspeeding the flaps by 20 KTS. I then wrote up the overspd in the logbook. The first officer and I discussed how we both missed the problem. Both of our attention was distraction in an attempt to intercept the outbound radial and verifying the FMC was programmed correctly. I only remember seeing the flashing '8' on the ground; and do not believe I have ever seen it during flight. I should have verified the flaps were indeed retracted before accelerating out of 210 KIAS. The first officer should have verified the flaps were retracted prior to turning the landing gear handle off. I am sure both of us will be better pilots in verifying the flaps are set correctly in the future; and more importantly understanding what the aircraft is telling us. Supplemental information from acn 702041: captain is PF; first officer is pilot monitoring. After takeoff; tower handed us off to departure on different frequency than stated on SID. Frequency was not given during pre departure clearance initial clearance so I assumed standard per SID. Slightly confused on frequency issue as captain calls for flaps up. I repeat flaps up call while making my radio call to correct departure frequency; switch automatic brake from rejected takeoff to off and move gear handle to center/off position but fail to actually move flap handle to up position.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW DEPARTING STL HAD FLAP OVERSPD ON CLBOUT. PNF FAILED TO RETRACT FLAPS ON COMMAND AND PF FAILED TO NOTICE.

Narrative: TKOF WAS NORMAL; AND AT 1000 FT WE STARTED CLEANING UP NORMALLY. AFTER CALLING FOR FLAPS UP; WE WERE DIRECTED TO CHANGE TO DEP FREQ. AFTER CHKING IN WITH DEP; WE WERE GIVEN A HDG TO INTERCEPT THE OUTBOUND RADIAL TO SAGME ON THE LINDY 2 DEP. WHILE UNDER 3000 FT; I SET THE MCP FOR LEVEL CHANGE (210 KIAS) AND HDG; WITH VOR LOC ARMED FOR THE DEP RADIAL; AND TURNED ON THE AUTOPLT. THE FO SET UP THE FMC TO INTERCEPT THE RADIAL FROM OUR DIRECTED HDG AND INFORMED ME THAT LNAV WAS AVAILABLE. AT THAT POINT; I ENGAGED AND ARMED THE LNAV. AT 3000 FT; I INCREASED THE LEVEL CHANGE SPD TO 250 KIAS. DURING THE CLB; I NOTED THE ACFT ONLY ACCELERATED TO 230 KIAS AND I HAD A FLASHING CHARACTER '8' IN THE MCP AIRSPD WINDOW. I WONDERED WHY I HAD THE FLASHING '8' AND TURNED BOTH FLT DIRECTORS OFF AND THEN BACK ON. I STILL HAD THE FLASHING '8.' I TURN TURNED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND THE FLT DIRECTORS; ACCELERATED TO 250 KIAS; AND CONTINUED THE CLBOUT. I RE-ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT. AT 250 KIAS THE ACFT HAD AN ABNORMAL VIBRATION. I STARTED LOOKING OVER THE COCKPIT LOOKING FOR SOMETHING. I NOTED THE LNDG GEAR HANDLE WAS IN THE 'OFF' POS. I DID NOT NOTE THE FLAP INDICATOR; NOR THE LED LEADING EDGE LIGHTS. LOOKING AT THE CTR CONSOLE; I SAW THAT THE FLAP HANDLE WAS AT THE FLAPS 1 DEG POS. I THEN NOTED THE FLAP INDICATOR AT FLAPS 1 DEG. I DO NOT REMEMBER IF THE LED LIGHTS WERE ON. I AM SURE THEY WERE. AFTER RECONFIGURING THE ACFT; I KNEW EXACTLY WHY WE HAD THE FLASHING '8' ON THE MCP AND IT WOULD ONLY HOLD 230 ON THE CLBOUT. THE ACFT WAS SMARTER THAN THE FO AND I. ABOVE 10000 FT; WE CONTACTED DISPATCH VIA ACARS AND NOTIFIED THEM THAT WE HAD FLOWN THE ACFT AT 250 KIAS WITH FLAPS 1 DEG; OVERSPEEDING THE FLAPS BY 20 KTS. I THEN WROTE UP THE OVERSPD IN THE LOGBOOK. THE FO AND I DISCUSSED HOW WE BOTH MISSED THE PROB. BOTH OF OUR ATTN WAS DISTR IN AN ATTEMPT TO INTERCEPT THE OUTBOUND RADIAL AND VERIFYING THE FMC WAS PROGRAMMED CORRECTLY. I ONLY REMEMBER SEEING THE FLASHING '8' ON THE GND; AND DO NOT BELIEVE I HAVE EVER SEEN IT DURING FLT. I SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED THE FLAPS WERE INDEED RETRACTED BEFORE ACCELERATING OUT OF 210 KIAS. THE FO SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED PRIOR TO TURNING THE LNDG GEAR HANDLE OFF. I AM SURE BOTH OF US WILL BE BETTER PLTS IN VERIFYING THE FLAPS ARE SET CORRECTLY IN THE FUTURE; AND MORE IMPORTANTLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE ACFT IS TELLING US. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 702041: CAPT IS PF; FO IS PLT MONITORING. AFTER TKOF; TWR HANDED US OFF TO DEP ON DIFFERENT FREQ THAN STATED ON SID. FREQ WAS NOT GIVEN DURING PDC INITIAL CLRNC SO I ASSUMED STANDARD PER SID. SLIGHTLY CONFUSED ON FREQ ISSUE AS CAPT CALLS FOR FLAPS UP. I REPEAT FLAPS UP CALL WHILE MAKING MY RADIO CALL TO CORRECT DEP FREQ; SWITCH AUTO BRAKE FROM REJECTED TKOF TO OFF AND MOVE GEAR HANDLE TO CTR/OFF POS BUT FAIL TO ACTUALLY MOVE FLAP HANDLE TO UP POS.

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.