Narrative:

We were taking off out of albany on runway 04. As takeoff power was set, the aural warning sounded 'takeoff, flaps.' I aborted the takeoff without incident. I had forgotten to call for flaps 15 degree prior to takeoff and missed it on the before takeoff checklist. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: what led up to overlooking the takeoff flaps? There was a distraction at the time I normally call for the flaps and I don't know why the first officer and I missed it on the checklist. I am a fairly new captain to this airline having checked out in aug/xx/94. Also, we were taxiing while doing the checks. Is the first officer new also? Yes. What kind of checklist do you use? Paper? Scroll? 'Screen multi-function display,' do you think that or anything about the checklist contributed to the oversight? No, only doing the checklist while taxiing -- a fairly new assignment at a fairly strange airport. Do you have some procedure now to avoid that happening again? Yes, just prior to takeoff I run a 'fat' check to myself which is an acronym for flaps, automatic feather and transponder. Are the responses on the checklist ambiguous like 'set' or 'checked' or are they specific like flaps set 15? The responses are specific. Were you tired? It was the first flight of the day at early morning but I had a good nights rest. Were you hurried or under schedule pressure? No. Something distracted me at the time I called for flaps and company procedure does not allow the first officer to set flaps until called for by captain to avoid lowering flaps prematurely and catching a baggage cart in the gate area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ABORTED TKOF PROMPTED BY TKOF CONFIGN WARNING HORN - - FLAPS NOT SET 15 DEG FOR TKOF.

Narrative: WE WERE TAKING OFF OUT OF ALBANY ON RWY 04. AS TKOF PWR WAS SET, THE AURAL WARNING SOUNDED 'TKOF, FLAPS.' I ABORTED THE TKOF WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAD FORGOTTEN TO CALL FOR FLAPS 15 DEG PRIOR TO TKOF AND MISSED IT ON THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: WHAT LED UP TO OVERLOOKING THE TKOF FLAPS? THERE WAS A DISTR AT THE TIME I NORMALLY CALL FOR THE FLAPS AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THE FO AND I MISSED IT ON THE CHKLIST. I AM A FAIRLY NEW CAPT TO THIS AIRLINE HAVING CHKED OUT IN AUG/XX/94. ALSO, WE WERE TAXIING WHILE DOING THE CHKS. IS THE FO NEW ALSO? YES. WHAT KIND OF CHKLIST DO YOU USE? PAPER? SCROLL? 'SCREEN MULTI-FUNCTION DISPLAY,' DO YOU THINK THAT OR ANYTHING ABOUT THE CHKLIST CONTRIBUTED TO THE OVERSIGHT? NO, ONLY DOING THE CHKLIST WHILE TAXIING -- A FAIRLY NEW ASSIGNMENT AT A FAIRLY STRANGE ARPT. DO YOU HAVE SOME PROC NOW TO AVOID THAT HAPPENING AGAIN? YES, JUST PRIOR TO TKOF I RUN A 'FAT' CHK TO MYSELF WHICH IS AN ACRONYM FOR FLAPS, AUTO FEATHER AND XPONDER. ARE THE RESPONSES ON THE CHKLIST AMBIGUOUS LIKE 'SET' OR 'CHKED' OR ARE THEY SPECIFIC LIKE FLAPS SET 15? THE RESPONSES ARE SPECIFIC. WERE YOU TIRED? IT WAS THE FIRST FLT OF THE DAY AT EARLY MORNING BUT I HAD A GOOD NIGHTS REST. WERE YOU HURRIED OR UNDER SCHEDULE PRESSURE? NO. SOMETHING DISTRACTED ME AT THE TIME I CALLED FOR FLAPS AND COMPANY PROC DOES NOT ALLOW THE FO TO SET FLAPS UNTIL CALLED FOR BY CAPT TO AVOID LOWERING FLAPS PREMATURELY AND CATCHING A BAGGAGE CART IN THE GATE AREA.

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.