Narrative:

The flight was routine up to taxi out. ATIS indicated runway X for departure; but upon contact with ground we were given runway Y. This resulted in a short taxi route. We were at the hold short point for runway Y running the before takeoff checklist when tower called and cleared us for takeoff. In response to receiving clearance; I called for below the line even though a few items above the line still remained. In retrospect; I realize this pressured the so to hurry; and I failed to scan his panel before starting to taxi onto the runway. The before takeoff checklist was completed as we taxied into position. I stopped the aircraft and performed a static takeoff; spooling all 4 engines to 50% N1 before releasing brakes; advancing the throttles and calling for takeoff thrust. Prior to the 80 KT call; in the vicinity of the 1000 ft markers; the aircraft veered hard right. I used full left rudder; but there was no reaction. I said something like; 'what happened;' as I pulled the throttles to idle; but did not hear any response. We were now rapidly heading towards the edge of the runway. In a last ditch effort to stay on the runway; I grabbed the tiller and steered left but again got no reaction. At the same time the first officer said abort and raised the reverse levers but we were off the runway by the time they actuated. After the event the so noted the #4 main tank quantity indicated zero; which had probably caused #4 engine to flame out. I could have prevented the event had I thoroughly scanned the panel prior to takeoff. A possible mechanical fix would be different fill valve switches that are easier to visually identify as being opened or closed to prevent inadvertent fuel xfer. As far as fatigue is concerned; both the first officer and so had back-to-back extended duty periods the first 2 nights of the pairing and were almost 1 hour late the third night.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A WING TANK FILL VALVE POSITION ERROR TRANSFERRED FUEL OUT OF A DC8 WING TANK UNTIL IT WAS EMPTY. THE ASSOCIATED ENG FLAMED OUT DURING THE TKOF ROLL.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS ROUTINE UP TO TAXI OUT. ATIS INDICATED RWY X FOR DEP; BUT UPON CONTACT WITH GND WE WERE GIVEN RWY Y. THIS RESULTED IN A SHORT TAXI RTE. WE WERE AT THE HOLD SHORT POINT FOR RWY Y RUNNING THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST WHEN TWR CALLED AND CLRED US FOR TKOF. IN RESPONSE TO RECEIVING CLRNC; I CALLED FOR BELOW THE LINE EVEN THOUGH A FEW ITEMS ABOVE THE LINE STILL REMAINED. IN RETROSPECT; I REALIZE THIS PRESSURED THE SO TO HURRY; AND I FAILED TO SCAN HIS PANEL BEFORE STARTING TO TAXI ONTO THE RWY. THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED AS WE TAXIED INTO POS. I STOPPED THE ACFT AND PERFORMED A STATIC TKOF; SPOOLING ALL 4 ENGS TO 50% N1 BEFORE RELEASING BRAKES; ADVANCING THE THROTTLES AND CALLING FOR TKOF THRUST. PRIOR TO THE 80 KT CALL; IN THE VICINITY OF THE 1000 FT MARKERS; THE ACFT VEERED HARD R. I USED FULL L RUDDER; BUT THERE WAS NO REACTION. I SAID SOMETHING LIKE; 'WHAT HAPPENED;' AS I PULLED THE THROTTLES TO IDLE; BUT DID NOT HEAR ANY RESPONSE. WE WERE NOW RAPIDLY HEADING TOWARDS THE EDGE OF THE RWY. IN A LAST DITCH EFFORT TO STAY ON THE RWY; I GRABBED THE TILLER AND STEERED L BUT AGAIN GOT NO REACTION. AT THE SAME TIME THE FO SAID ABORT AND RAISED THE REVERSE LEVERS BUT WE WERE OFF THE RWY BY THE TIME THEY ACTUATED. AFTER THE EVENT THE SO NOTED THE #4 MAIN TANK QUANTITY INDICATED ZERO; WHICH HAD PROBABLY CAUSED #4 ENG TO FLAME OUT. I COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE EVENT HAD I THOROUGHLY SCANNED THE PANEL PRIOR TO TKOF. A POSSIBLE MECHANICAL FIX WOULD BE DIFFERENT FILL VALVE SWITCHES THAT ARE EASIER TO VISUALLY IDENT AS BEING OPENED OR CLOSED TO PREVENT INADVERTENT FUEL XFER. AS FAR AS FATIGUE IS CONCERNED; BOTH THE FO AND SO HAD BACK-TO-BACK EXTENDED DUTY PERIODS THE FIRST 2 NIGHTS OF THE PAIRING AND WERE ALMOST 1 HR LATE THE THIRD NIGHT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.