An air carrier medium large transport crew was distracted by their TCASII self testing on the runway...

Attributes
ACN	230485
Time
Date	199301
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdx
State Reference	OR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5100 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	230485
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight was cleared onto the runway, position and hold. As we taxied into position and transponder was turned on, TCASII system began improper self testing. Self tested 3 times and distracted crew. We departed runway 10L and on climb out realized strobes and landing lights were not turned on. Neither first officer nor myself could recall being cleared for takeoff. Called back to tower and were assured we were cleared. Problem had many factors. It was the last leg of a 7 1/2 hour day of flying. We were behind schedule and wanted to get back home (in the go- mode). Crew was fatigued and had flown together on previous days. TCASII distracted us from our normal routine of lights on when cleared for takeoff. Crew gets along very well and was lax in xchking each other. We all know that when we get tired, mistakes don't get noticed as fast. Also, when a crew has flown together for a while, we get lax in some of our xchking duties. As fatigue sets in, it should be a warning flag to slow down and xchk each other, especially on the last leg of the day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CREW WAS DISTRACTED BY THEIR TCASII SELF TESTING ON THE RWY.

Narrative: FLT WAS CLRED ONTO THE RWY, POS AND HOLD. AS WE TAXIED INTO POS AND TRANSPONDER WAS TURNED ON, TCASII SYS BEGAN IMPROPER SELF TESTING. SELF TESTED 3 TIMES AND DISTRACTED CREW. WE DEPARTED RWY 10L AND ON CLBOUT REALIZED STROBES AND LNDG LIGHTS WERE NOT TURNED ON. NEITHER FO NOR MYSELF COULD RECALL BEING CLRED FOR TKOF. CALLED BACK TO TWR AND WERE ASSURED WE WERE CLRED. PROBLEM HAD MANY FACTORS. IT WAS THE LAST LEG OF A 7 1/2 HR DAY OF FLYING. WE WERE BEHIND SCHEDULE AND WANTED TO GET BACK HOME (IN THE GO- MODE). CREW WAS FATIGUED AND HAD FLOWN TOGETHER ON PREVIOUS DAYS. TCASII DISTRACTED US FROM OUR NORMAL ROUTINE OF LIGHTS ON WHEN CLRED FOR TKOF. CREW GETS ALONG VERY WELL AND WAS LAX IN XCHKING EACH OTHER. WE ALL KNOW THAT WHEN WE GET TIRED, MISTAKES DON'T GET NOTICED AS FAST. ALSO, WHEN A CREW HAS FLOWN TOGETHER FOR A WHILE, WE GET LAX IN SOME OF OUR XCHKING DUTIES. AS FATIGUE SETS IN, IT SHOULD BE A WARNING FLAG TO SLOW DOWN AND XCHK EACH OTHER, ESPECIALLY ON THE LAST LEG OF THE DAY.

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.