Takeoff aborted after amber warning light was apparent to PIC.

Attributes
ACN	296087
Time
Date	199502
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
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	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 22000 flight time type : 14000
ASRS Report	296087
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	295803
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In position for takeoff and cleared for takeoff. An aircraft was on a 3 mi final for my runway (30L). Finishing the before takeoff checklist, I observed what I thought was an amber caution light on the annunciator panel. I advised tower we were clearing the runway to investigate a caution light. When I had time to actually read the caution light, I realized it was a badly faded blue advisory light saying 'rudder travel unrestr.' in bright sunlight it had appeared yellowish white. We then called tower, were reclred for takeoff after the landing and departed normally with no problems. The 'rudder travel unrestr' annunciator light is lit anytime the airplane is less than 140 KTS which is much of the time since it is also on always on the ground. As a result, many of the dc-9-30's we have, have badly faded annunciator lights. Most times it is no problem but, with an aircraft on 3 mi final, I felt I had no time to quickly investigate. Since we had no actual mechanical problem, I didn't feel it necessary to enter anything in the aircraft maintenance logbook.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TKOF ABORTED AFTER AMBER WARNING LIGHT WAS APPARENT TO PIC.

Narrative: IN POS FOR TKOF AND CLRED FOR TKOF. AN ACFT WAS ON A 3 MI FINAL FOR MY RWY (30L). FINISHING THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST, I OBSERVED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AN AMBER CAUTION LIGHT ON THE ANNUNCIATOR PANEL. I ADVISED TWR WE WERE CLRING THE RWY TO INVESTIGATE A CAUTION LIGHT. WHEN I HAD TIME TO ACTUALLY READ THE CAUTION LIGHT, I REALIZED IT WAS A BADLY FADED BLUE ADVISORY LIGHT SAYING 'RUDDER TRAVEL UNRESTR.' IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT IT HAD APPEARED YELLOWISH WHITE. WE THEN CALLED TWR, WERE RECLRED FOR TKOF AFTER THE LNDG AND DEPARTED NORMALLY WITH NO PROBS. THE 'RUDDER TRAVEL UNRESTR' ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT IS LIT ANYTIME THE AIRPLANE IS LESS THAN 140 KTS WHICH IS MUCH OF THE TIME SINCE IT IS ALSO ON ALWAYS ON THE GND. AS A RESULT, MANY OF THE DC-9-30'S WE HAVE, HAVE BADLY FADED ANNUNCIATOR LIGHTS. MOST TIMES IT IS NO PROB BUT, WITH AN ACFT ON 3 MI FINAL, I FELT I HAD NO TIME TO QUICKLY INVESTIGATE. SINCE WE HAD NO ACTUAL MECHANICAL PROB, I DIDN'T FEEL IT NECESSARY TO ENTER ANYTHING IN THE ACFT MAINT LOGBOOK.

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.