Narrative:

Copilot assigned to trip was actually a senior captain doing reserve duty. He was more senior than myself, with more yrs and flight time on this aircraft. Both of us were very senior and had accumulated much flight time in this aircraft as well as total time, no shortage of aviation experience on this flight deck. This 'copilot' was not totally familiar with all of right seat duties, which included manual calculations of weight and balance and takeoff restrs and procedures. This airport lies in hilly, mountainous terrain, requiring careful consideration. Other items affecting us at the time: 'first officer' first time in this airport. Captain's pre-occupation that everything gets done. Night operations in effect. Just finishing up paperwork on mechanical problem which had skydrol leaking heavily on to ramp area. Entire route of flight to be conducted in thunderstorm area. Lateness of hour, looking ahead, we figured trip would not be completed until early am. With all of these factors impacting us, we had neglected to set flaps for takeoff even though it was in the after start checklist. Fortunately, while doing the before takeoff checklist, we received a takeoff confign warning and we caught our mistake. When reaching cruise altitude, we discussed what had happened. We both remembered doing the after start checklist, but do not remember doing the last 3 items (which included flaps). We were unable to remember why we missed those items. With many yrs and thousand of hours in the cockpit, it still boils down to doing the job and making sure it's done right.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MDT FLC FAILED TO SET FLAPS FOR TKOF.

Narrative: COPLT ASSIGNED TO TRIP WAS ACTUALLY A SENIOR CAPT DOING RESERVE DUTY. HE WAS MORE SENIOR THAN MYSELF, WITH MORE YRS AND FLT TIME ON THIS ACFT. BOTH OF US WERE VERY SENIOR AND HAD ACCUMULATED MUCH FLT TIME IN THIS ACFT AS WELL AS TOTAL TIME, NO SHORTAGE OF AVIATION EXPERIENCE ON THIS FLT DECK. THIS 'COPLT' WAS NOT TOTALLY FAMILIAR WITH ALL OF R SEAT DUTIES, WHICH INCLUDED MANUAL CALCULATIONS OF WT AND BAL AND TKOF RESTRS AND PROCS. THIS ARPT LIES IN HILLY, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, REQUIRING CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. OTHER ITEMS AFFECTING US AT THE TIME: 'FO' FIRST TIME IN THIS ARPT. CAPT'S PRE-OCCUPATION THAT EVERYTHING GETS DONE. NIGHT OPS IN EFFECT. JUST FINISHING UP PAPERWORK ON MECHANICAL PROB WHICH HAD SKYDROL LEAKING HEAVILY ON TO RAMP AREA. ENTIRE RTE OF FLT TO BE CONDUCTED IN TSTM AREA. LATENESS OF HR, LOOKING AHEAD, WE FIGURED TRIP WOULD NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL EARLY AM. WITH ALL OF THESE FACTORS IMPACTING US, WE HAD NEGLECTED TO SET FLAPS FOR TKOF EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN THE AFTER START CHKLIST. FORTUNATELY, WHILE DOING THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST, WE RECEIVED A TKOF CONFIGN WARNING AND WE CAUGHT OUR MISTAKE. WHEN REACHING CRUISE ALT, WE DISCUSSED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. WE BOTH REMEMBERED DOING THE AFTER START CHKLIST, BUT DO NOT REMEMBER DOING THE LAST 3 ITEMS (WHICH INCLUDED FLAPS). WE WERE UNABLE TO REMEMBER WHY WE MISSED THOSE ITEMS. WITH MANY YRS AND THOUSAND OF HRS IN THE COCKPIT, IT STILL BOILS DOWN TO DOING THE JOB AND MAKING SURE IT'S DONE RIGHT.

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.