A DC8 twice rejected takeoffs for rev unlocked light before returning to the gate for maintenance.

Attributes
ACN	802712
Time
Date	200809
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzzz.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	802712
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Flying aircraft; after takeoff the #2 reverser light unlocked/flashed; indicating in-transit or unlocked. No flight problems of changes requiring control inputs. The light extinguished on its own before we could run a checklist. We wrote the reverser up and landed in ZZZZ. The next night maintenance said that he was unable to detect any problems and maintenance control advised not to defer the reverser. On takeoff; called for takeoff thrust; before 80 KTS the flight engineer reported the reverser light illuminated; we rejected and cleared runway. Notified company via ACARS and radioed ZZZZ operations. Cycled reverser several times -- unable to find any problems. Flight control wanted to know when we would continue to ZZZ and after discussing situation with crew I was of the mind set to resume our flight to ZZZ and to take off. On second takeoff before 60 KTS; the flight engineer reports #2 reverser light illuminated and I rejected and returned to ramp and gave the aircraft to maintenance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC8 TWICE REJECTED TKOFS FOR REV UNLOCKED LIGHT BEFORE RETURNING TO THE GATE FOR MAINT.

Narrative: FLYING ACFT; AFTER TKOF THE #2 REVERSER LIGHT UNLOCKED/FLASHED; INDICATING IN-TRANSIT OR UNLOCKED. NO FLT PROBS OF CHANGES REQUIRING CTL INPUTS. THE LIGHT EXTINGUISHED ON ITS OWN BEFORE WE COULD RUN A CHKLIST. WE WROTE THE REVERSER UP AND LANDED IN ZZZZ. THE NEXT NIGHT MAINT SAID THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO DETECT ANY PROBS AND MAINT CTL ADVISED NOT TO DEFER THE REVERSER. ON TKOF; CALLED FOR TKOF THRUST; BEFORE 80 KTS THE FE RPTED THE REVERSER LIGHT ILLUMINATED; WE REJECTED AND CLRED RWY. NOTIFIED COMPANY VIA ACARS AND RADIOED ZZZZ OPS. CYCLED REVERSER SEVERAL TIMES -- UNABLE TO FIND ANY PROBS. FLT CTL WANTED TO KNOW WHEN WE WOULD CONTINUE TO ZZZ AND AFTER DISCUSSING SITUATION WITH CREW I WAS OF THE MIND SET TO RESUME OUR FLT TO ZZZ AND TO TAKE OFF. ON SECOND TKOF BEFORE 60 KTS; THE FE RPTS #2 REVERSER LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND I REJECTED AND RETURNED TO RAMP AND GAVE THE ACFT TO MAINT.

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.