The flight crew overcame takeoff EPR reference error on maximum gross weight takeoff at lga.

Attributes
ACN	335507
Time
Date	199605
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	335507
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Location: lga. Cleared for takeoff runway 31 lga, with almost maximum takeoff weight. It was my (captain) leg. Shortly thereafter, cleared for takeoff. I ran the power up to 1.4 then released brakes and called for autothrottles. The EPR's then ran up to a position somewhat above the orange bugs by maybe a factor of .1 or .125. I pulled the power back to the bugs, but it did not feel 'right.' with first officer assistance and concurrence pushed the power up past the orange bugs to about 2.0 EPR. Takeoff proceeded normally thereafter. Clean-up was normal except first officer and I were still at about 3000 ft. I reached up and pushed in the manual EPR setting bugs, and the orange bugs immediately went to correct climb power setting. There had been 'no' manual numbers on either EPR gauge, yet both were in manual mode. After cruise, both of us tried to set EPR gauges to manual without displaying numbers, difficult but not impossible. We are not sure how the gauges were set this way, but we both felt strongly that we should bring it to your attention.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE FLC OVERCAME TKOF EPR REF ERROR ON MAX GROSS WT TKOF AT LGA.

Narrative: LOCATION: LGA. CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 31 LGA, WITH ALMOST MAX TKOF WT. IT WAS MY (CAPT) LEG. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CLRED FOR TKOF. I RAN THE PWR UP TO 1.4 THEN RELEASED BRAKES AND CALLED FOR AUTOTHROTTLES. THE EPR'S THEN RAN UP TO A POS SOMEWHAT ABOVE THE ORANGE BUGS BY MAYBE A FACTOR OF .1 OR .125. I PULLED THE PWR BACK TO THE BUGS, BUT IT DID NOT FEEL 'RIGHT.' WITH FO ASSISTANCE AND CONCURRENCE PUSHED THE PWR UP PAST THE ORANGE BUGS TO ABOUT 2.0 EPR. TKOF PROCEEDED NORMALLY THEREAFTER. CLEAN-UP WAS NORMAL EXCEPT FO AND I WERE STILL AT ABOUT 3000 FT. I REACHED UP AND PUSHED IN THE MANUAL EPR SETTING BUGS, AND THE ORANGE BUGS IMMEDIATELY WENT TO CORRECT CLB PWR SETTING. THERE HAD BEEN 'NO' MANUAL NUMBERS ON EITHER EPR GAUGE, YET BOTH WERE IN MANUAL MODE. AFTER CRUISE, BOTH OF US TRIED TO SET EPR GAUGES TO MANUAL WITHOUT DISPLAYING NUMBERS, DIFFICULT BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE. WE ARE NOT SURE HOW THE GAUGES WERE SET THIS WAY, BUT WE BOTH FELT STRONGLY THAT WE SHOULD BRING IT TO YOUR ATTN.

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.