Narrative:

We had been delayed an extended period at eglin AFB waiting for a tire to be changed. The airport was to be closed at XN15 local time for 1 plus 15 for a fighter demonstration over the field. We were rushed to departure. We had an FAA maintenance inspector on the jump seat who graciously moved to the passenger cabin so that we might eliminate the extra 5 or so minutes of extra paperwork associated with 'load condition 3'. When we were cleared for takeoff, the aircraft failed the roll spoiler test (freedom of movement and visual check of the pfcs panel, pfcs indicators no movement due to selected off of spoiler switch) we cleared the runway. I tapped the pfcs because I thought it was stuck and broke the instrument. In anticipation of taxi back, I raised the flaps. Tower had us hold because now a fighter demonstration was to begin. I checked the MEL on the pfcs (continue to maintenance base per standard practice ok). And discovered the spoiler switch off. Spoilers and pfcs ok even with shattered glass. After the fighter demonstration tower said we could leave. I did not call for before takeoff check because we had already done it (flaps -15 degrees - 15 degrees rudder unrestricted) is on this checklist. I only called for takeoff check. The aircraft was on maximum gross card of 44000 pound. At rotation, I noticed an unusually high deck angel and slow climb rate. After checking the power I saw the flap handle and immediately selected flaps 15 degrees (15 degrees or 25 degrees being normal takeoff settings) the transition to a normal climb was smooth and easy, as I fed more pitch trim. After a slower than normal climb to 100 ft or so, the rest of the climb and flight were normal. The FAA inspector was seated near a power plant and could not see the flaps from his seat. Thus, he seems to have neither seen nor heard the flaps extending during takeoff. My first officer is a new man (6 mo with company and low time) and could have 'checked behind me,' the fighter demonstration also distracted us. Better. Checklist use would have prevented problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter states that the dc-7 has no takeoff warning system at all! 'Pfcs' stands for powered flight control system. The reporter has heard nothing about this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DHC-7 PLT TOOK OFF WITH NO FLAPS.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN DELAYED AN EXTENDED PERIOD AT EGLIN AFB WAITING FOR A TIRE TO BE CHANGED. THE ARPT WAS TO BE CLOSED AT XN15 LCL TIME FOR 1 PLUS 15 FOR A FIGHTER DEMO OVER THE FIELD. WE WERE RUSHED TO DEP. WE HAD AN FAA MAINT INSPECTOR ON THE JUMP SEAT WHO GRACIOUSLY MOVED TO THE PAX CABIN SO THAT WE MIGHT ELIMINATE THE EXTRA 5 OR SO MINUTES OF EXTRA PAPERWORK ASSOCIATED WITH 'LOAD CONDITION 3'. WHEN WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF, THE ACFT FAILED THE ROLL SPOILER TEST (FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AND VISUAL CHK OF THE PFCS PANEL, PFCS INDICATORS NO MOVEMENT DUE TO SELECTED OFF OF SPOILER SWITCH) WE CLRED THE RWY. I TAPPED THE PFCS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS STUCK AND BROKE THE INSTRUMENT. IN ANTICIPATION OF TAXI BACK, I RAISED THE FLAPS. TWR HAD US HOLD BECAUSE NOW A FIGHTER DEMO WAS TO BEGIN. I CHKED THE MEL ON THE PFCS (CONTINUE TO MAINT BASE PER STANDARD PRACTICE OK). AND DISCOVERED THE SPOILER SWITCH OFF. SPOILERS AND PFCS OK EVEN WITH SHATTERED GLASS. AFTER THE FIGHTER DEMO TWR SAID WE COULD LEAVE. I DID NOT CALL FOR BEFORE TKOF CHK BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY DONE IT (FLAPS -15 DEGS - 15 DEGS RUDDER UNRESTRICTED) IS ON THIS CHKLIST. I ONLY CALLED FOR TKOF CHK. THE ACFT WAS ON MAX GROSS CARD OF 44000 LB. AT ROTATION, I NOTICED AN UNUSUALLY HIGH DECK ANGEL AND SLOW CLB RATE. AFTER CHKING THE PWR I SAW THE FLAP HANDLE AND IMMEDIATELY SELECTED FLAPS 15 DEGS (15 DEGS OR 25 DEGS BEING NORMAL TKOF SETTINGS) THE TRANSITION TO A NORMAL CLB WAS SMOOTH AND EASY, AS I FED MORE PITCH TRIM. AFTER A SLOWER THAN NORMAL CLB TO 100 FT OR SO, THE REST OF THE CLB AND FLT WERE NORMAL. THE FAA INSPECTOR WAS SEATED NEAR A POWER PLANT AND COULD NOT SEE THE FLAPS FROM HIS SEAT. THUS, HE SEEMS TO HAVE NEITHER SEEN NOR HEARD THE FLAPS EXTENDING DURING TKOF. MY FO IS A NEW MAN (6 MO WITH COMPANY AND LOW TIME) AND COULD HAVE 'CHKED BEHIND ME,' THE FIGHTER DEMO ALSO DISTRACTED US. BETTER. CHKLIST USE WOULD HAVE PREVENTED PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATES THAT THE DC-7 HAS NO TKOF WARNING SYS AT ALL! 'PFCS' STANDS FOR POWERED FLT CONTROL SYS. THE RPTR HAS HEARD NOTHING ABOUT THIS INCIDENT.

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.