Narrative:

During preflight procedures; it was determined that normal thrust would be needed due to the weight of the aircraft and the temperature at boston for runway 22R. Normal thrust was calculated to be 90.7. Normal takeoff procedures followed. During the takeoff roll; it was determined that the #1 thrust lever was full forward; N1 was indicating 90.2. Based on experience of setting N1 and the potential for a small rollback to occasionally occur; I determined that this was a good thrust setting as all other engine parameters and acceleration were normal. Rotation; takeoff; and climb out were normal. Climb thrust was set and the aircraft responded in a normal fashion. We were vectored around some thunderstorm activity and once clear of the WX; were cleared on course. During the climb we determined that we should call maintenance due to thrust lever position. We waited for an opening on company radio. During this wait; a climb was completed to FL300; with normal climb thrust settings and normal engine indications. When we contacted maintenance via company radio; we were told to return to boston. We were approaching jfk and suggested it. We were told boston was preferred; but jfk was fine too. The decision was made to divert to jfk as there was WX behind us and we had a clear path to jfk. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that the decision to divert has been called into question by management and there was apparently nothing wrong with the engine. The decision to divert was primarily made by maintenance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ200 FLT CREW SEES SLIGHTLY LOW N1 DURING TKOF. MAINTENANCE IS CONTACTED WHILE CLIMBING OUT AND THE FLT CREW IS INSTRUCTED TO LAND ASAP; WHICH THEY DO.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT PROCS; IT WAS DETERMINED THAT NORMAL THRUST WOULD BE NEEDED DUE TO THE WT OF THE ACFT AND THE TEMP AT BOSTON FOR RWY 22R. NORMAL THRUST WAS CALCULATED TO BE 90.7. NORMAL TKOF PROCS FOLLOWED. DURING THE TKOF ROLL; IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE #1 THRUST LEVER WAS FULL FORWARD; N1 WAS INDICATING 90.2. BASED ON EXPERIENCE OF SETTING N1 AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A SMALL ROLLBACK TO OCCASIONALLY OCCUR; I DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS A GOOD THRUST SETTING AS ALL OTHER ENG PARAMETERS AND ACCELERATION WERE NORMAL. ROTATION; TKOF; AND CLBOUT WERE NORMAL. CLB THRUST WAS SET AND THE ACFT RESPONDED IN A NORMAL FASHION. WE WERE VECTORED AROUND SOME TSTM ACTIVITY AND ONCE CLR OF THE WX; WERE CLRED ON COURSE. DURING THE CLB WE DETERMINED THAT WE SHOULD CALL MAINT DUE TO THRUST LEVER POS. WE WAITED FOR AN OPENING ON COMPANY RADIO. DURING THIS WAIT; A CLB WAS COMPLETED TO FL300; WITH NORMAL CLB THRUST SETTINGS AND NORMAL ENG INDICATIONS. WHEN WE CONTACTED MAINT VIA COMPANY RADIO; WE WERE TOLD TO RETURN TO BOSTON. WE WERE APCHING JFK AND SUGGESTED IT. WE WERE TOLD BOSTON WAS PREFERRED; BUT JFK WAS FINE TOO. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DIVERT TO JFK AS THERE WAS WX BEHIND US AND WE HAD A CLR PATH TO JFK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT THE DECISION TO DIVERT HAS BEEN CALLED INTO QUESTION BY MANAGEMENT AND THERE WAS APPARENTLY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. THE DECISION TO DIVERT WAS PRIMARILY MADE BY MAINTENANCE.

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.