Narrative:

After reviewing flight information, I noticed a NOTAM re: runway 3-21 not authority/authorized for takeoff. After reviewing the #'south for runway 36 taxiing out, we noticed a lengthy delay for runway 36. I asked the first officer to see if runway 3 was now available for our use. (It is not uncommon to find old, dated NOTAMS still showing on our WX information months after they are out of date.) he called load planning and they checked and said, 'runway 3 is authority/authorized for takeoff. I asked him to check again to be sure it was not a mistake, and to again verify 3 was ok for departure. The load planner read the 3's once again for runway 3 and told us it was authority/authorized. We both checked our 10-7 pages and 10-4 pages (9/89 revision) and we could find no data to say we could not depart. I queried the tower controller to see if runway 3 was available, and if full length was in use. He replied 'yes!!' we checked our operations manual and were assured that it is policy that load planning has the most current information, and that is what should be used. Takeoff roll, rotation all well within normal runway usage. Departure normal. After takeoff, calling in times, I was informed that load planning had found an informal memo showing runway 3-21 unusable, but that it had not come through as a change or amendment in any of their manuals or weight & balance information. The load planner was not aware of this prior to our departure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLT REPORTING THEY MAY HAVE USED RWY 3 AT DCA FOR TKOF WHEN IT WAS NOTAMED UNUSABLE.

Narrative: AFTER REVIEWING FLT INFO, I NOTICED A NOTAM RE: RWY 3-21 NOT AUTH FOR TKOF. AFTER REVIEWING THE #'S FOR RWY 36 TAXIING OUT, WE NOTICED A LENGTHY DELAY FOR RWY 36. I ASKED THE F/O TO SEE IF RWY 3 WAS NOW AVAILABLE FOR OUR USE. (IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO FIND OLD, DATED NOTAMS STILL SHOWING ON OUR WX INFO MONTHS AFTER THEY ARE OUT OF DATE.) HE CALLED LOAD PLANNING AND THEY CHKED AND SAID, 'RWY 3 IS AUTH FOR TKOF. I ASKED HIM TO CHK AGAIN TO BE SURE IT WAS NOT A MISTAKE, AND TO AGAIN VERIFY 3 WAS OK FOR DEP. THE LOAD PLANNER READ THE 3'S ONCE AGAIN FOR RWY 3 AND TOLD US IT WAS AUTH. WE BOTH CHKED OUR 10-7 PAGES AND 10-4 PAGES (9/89 REVISION) AND WE COULD FIND NO DATA TO SAY WE COULD NOT DEPART. I QUERIED THE TWR CTLR TO SEE IF RWY 3 WAS AVAILABLE, AND IF FULL LENGTH WAS IN USE. HE REPLIED 'YES!!' WE CHKED OUR OPS MANUAL AND WERE ASSURED THAT IT IS POLICY THAT LOAD PLANNING HAS THE MOST CURRENT INFO, AND THAT IS WHAT SHOULD BE USED. TKOF ROLL, ROTATION ALL WELL WITHIN NORMAL RWY USAGE. DEP NORMAL. AFTER TKOF, CALLING IN TIMES, I WAS INFORMED THAT LOAD PLANNING HAD FOUND AN INFORMAL MEMO SHOWING RWY 3-21 UNUSABLE, BUT THAT IT HAD NOT COME THROUGH AS A CHANGE OR AMENDMENT IN ANY OF THEIR MANUALS OR WT & BAL INFO. THE LOAD PLANNER WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS PRIOR TO OUR DEP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.