An air carrier flight crew at las senses a loss of directional control of their B767 and aborts thei...

Attributes
ACN	433101
Time
Date	199904
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : las.tower artcc : zmp.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	433101
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 218 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	433444
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Upon applying takeoff power in las (runway 25R) aircraft started to drift right. Pilot unable to correct drift with rudder pedals, therefore aborted. Speed was probably less than 40 KTS. Wind was 170 degrees at 16 KTS gusting to 23 KTS. Second attempt was made uneventfully. I am not certain what caused this occurrence. We taxied the aircraft on the parallel taxiway to see if the rudder pedals were working properly, and they were. We also used the tiller to see if everything seemed normal. It was. We could not think of any mechanical reason for the drift, so we elected to return in line for takeoff. A logbook entry was made to document the abort in slc. It was discussed and noted by maintenance personnel. They could think of no mechanical reason and certified the aircraft for flight. I can assume that the crosswind was greater than the rudder pedal's ability to maintain runway centerline at low airspeed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC AT LAS SENSES A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CTL OF THEIR B767 AND ABORTS THEIR TKOF.

Narrative: UPON APPLYING TKOF PWR IN LAS (RWY 25R) ACFT STARTED TO DRIFT R. PLT UNABLE TO CORRECT DRIFT WITH RUDDER PEDALS, THEREFORE ABORTED. SPD WAS PROBABLY LESS THAN 40 KTS. WIND WAS 170 DEGS AT 16 KTS GUSTING TO 23 KTS. SECOND ATTEMPT WAS MADE UNEVENTFULLY. I AM NOT CERTAIN WHAT CAUSED THIS OCCURRENCE. WE TAXIED THE ACFT ON THE PARALLEL TXWY TO SEE IF THE RUDDER PEDALS WERE WORKING PROPERLY, AND THEY WERE. WE ALSO USED THE TILLER TO SEE IF EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL. IT WAS. WE COULD NOT THINK OF ANY MECHANICAL REASON FOR THE DRIFT, SO WE ELECTED TO RETURN IN LINE FOR TKOF. A LOGBOOK ENTRY WAS MADE TO DOCUMENT THE ABORT IN SLC. IT WAS DISCUSSED AND NOTED BY MAINT PERSONNEL. THEY COULD THINK OF NO MECHANICAL REASON AND CERTIFIED THE ACFT FOR FLT. I CAN ASSUME THAT THE XWIND WAS GREATER THAN THE RUDDER PEDAL'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN RWY CTRLINE AT LOW AIRSPD.

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.

An air carrier flight crew at las senses a loss of directional control of their B767 and aborts their takeoff.