Narrative:

We had a normal morning departure from the gate in newark. The WX was good the temperature was about 88 degree and we were heavy with passengers and fuel for a flight to florida. We received the weights and set 0 degree flaps/slats extend. I double checked with the first officer and he rechked his copy which was received over the radio. He said 0 degree so we continued to the runway. It was hot and we were heavy so I accepted the flap setting even though it was somewhat unusual. The takeoff roll began and was normal and the takeoff appeared ok but we used a great deal of runway more than normal. The remainder of the flight was west/O incident. I did not think anymore about the incident until today when an abnormal forced us to look something up on the performance manual and I checked the newark pages just for my own information. Much to my dismay, I determined that we do not have any takeoff information for 0 degree flaps/slats extend for any runway there. After much though about this, I believe that there must have been a communication problem between my first officer and the load planner and when he said 'flaps 05' (our standard two digit call) it was misinterpreted to be 'flaps 0'. Our airline uses a radio close out for numbers and I have long felt this to be unsatisfactory. This incident in my view confirms this to be the case. I do not believe that a hard, computer printed copy would have been so misinterpreted.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR USES WEIGHTS AND FLAP SETTINGS GIVEN BY GND PERSONNEL. TAKES OFF WITH WRONG FLAP SETTING.

Narrative: WE HAD A NORMAL MORNING DEP FROM THE GATE IN NEWARK. THE WX WAS GOOD THE TEMP WAS ABOUT 88 DEG AND WE WERE HVY WITH PAXS AND FUEL FOR A FLT TO FLORIDA. WE RECEIVED THE WEIGHTS AND SET 0 DEG FLAPS/SLATS EXTEND. I DOUBLE CHKED WITH THE F/O AND HE RECHKED HIS COPY WHICH WAS RECEIVED OVER THE RADIO. HE SAID 0 DEG SO WE CONTINUED TO THE RWY. IT WAS HOT AND WE WERE HVY SO I ACCEPTED THE FLAP SETTING EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL. THE TKOF ROLL BEGAN AND WAS NORMAL AND THE TKOF APPEARED OK BUT WE USED A GREAT DEAL OF RWY MORE THAN NORMAL. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS W/O INCIDENT. I DID NOT THINK ANYMORE ABOUT THE INCIDENT UNTIL TODAY WHEN AN ABNORMAL FORCED US TO LOOK SOMETHING UP ON THE PERFORMANCE MANUAL AND I CHKED THE NEWARK PAGES JUST FOR MY OWN INFO. MUCH TO MY DISMAY, I DETERMINED THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY TKOF INFO FOR 0 DEG FLAPS/SLATS EXTEND FOR ANY RWY THERE. AFTER MUCH THOUGH ABOUT THIS, I BELIEVE THAT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A COM PROB BTWN MY F/O AND THE LOAD PLANNER AND WHEN HE SAID 'FLAPS 05' (OUR STANDARD TWO DIGIT CALL) IT WAS MISINTERPRETED TO BE 'FLAPS 0'. OUR AIRLINE USES A RADIO CLOSE OUT FOR NUMBERS AND I HAVE LONG FELT THIS TO BE UNSATISFACTORY. THIS INCIDENT IN MY VIEW CONFIRMS THIS TO BE THE CASE. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A HARD, COMPUTER PRINTED COPY WOULD HAVE BEEN SO MISINTERPRETED.

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