Narrative:

With the application of takeoff power and passing 80 KTS and its callout to signal 'high speed environment,' the acm called out 'spoiler deployed light!' this is abnormal on dc-9 (dash 10's, dash 30's and dash 40's) where the light is deactivated with throttle advancement. The first officer said 'what?!' and moved to view the light. The captain was faced with urgent decision, about to accelerate to V1. The captain aborted the takeoff. Our flight handbook confirmed the light was abnormal in takeoff. A placard beneath the hydraulic panel stated 'spoiler deployed light is functional' although this is not informative. Flight bulletins and the flight handbook failed to warn the crew that on a 'dash 50' DC9, the light is active in takeoff and will illuminate with crosswind correction applied. It is 'blue' as opposed to a 'yellow' abnormal light, also 'dim' and has simply gone unnoticed. The color conflict intensified the crew confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NORMAL TKOF INTERRUPTED BY FALSE WARNING ISSUED BY ADDITIONAL CREW MEMBER IN COCKPIT. TKOF ABORTED.

Narrative: WITH THE APPLICATION OF TKOF PWR AND PASSING 80 KTS AND ITS CALLOUT TO SIGNAL 'HIGH SPD ENVIRONMENT,' THE ACM CALLED OUT 'SPOILER DEPLOYED LIGHT!' THIS IS ABNORMAL ON DC-9 (DASH 10'S, DASH 30'S AND DASH 40'S) WHERE THE LIGHT IS DEACTIVATED WITH THROTTLE ADVANCEMENT. THE FO SAID 'WHAT?!' AND MOVED TO VIEW THE LIGHT. THE CAPT WAS FACED WITH URGENT DECISION, ABOUT TO ACCELERATE TO V1. THE CAPT ABORTED THE TKOF. OUR FLT HANDBOOK CONFIRMED THE LIGHT WAS ABNORMAL IN TKOF. A PLACARD BENEATH THE HYD PANEL STATED 'SPOILER DEPLOYED LIGHT IS FUNCTIONAL' ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT INFORMATIVE. FLT BULLETINS AND THE FLT HANDBOOK FAILED TO WARN THE CREW THAT ON A 'DASH 50' DC9, THE LIGHT IS ACTIVE IN TKOF AND WILL ILLUMINATE WITH XWIND CORRECTION APPLIED. IT IS 'BLUE' AS OPPOSED TO A 'YELLOW' ABNORMAL LIGHT, ALSO 'DIM' AND HAS SIMPLY GONE UNNOTICED. THE COLOR CONFLICT INTENSIFIED THE CREW CONFUSION.

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.