Narrative:

During our first attempt to take off we had an extended delay on runway 6R since it was being used for arrs and we were too heavy for runway 6L. This required a return to the ramp for a second deicing at which time I asked the first officer to contact load planning to see if we would now be legal on runway 6R since we had burned a considerable amount of fuel. I estimate 2000+ pounds. We were told the only way to get new numbers would be to contact dispatch via phone. We ended up using my cell phone since the cockpit phone would not go through. We received the new takeoff data while waiting at the end of runway 6L and reset the correct flaps, trim and center of gravity. I ran the engines up to 70% N1 in about 15 seconds, released the brakes, called for the autothrottles, checked the N1's around 90% and away we went. The airplane seemed to accelerate normally and at vr I started to rotate. I would estimate that we had 2500-2000 ft of runway remaining. The nose did not respond so I continued the back pressure until the controls were full aft. The nose still did not respond for awhile. My guess is that we were in the last 500 ft of the runway when the aircraft finally rotated and became airborne. The remainder of the flight and landing at iah was uneventful. I feel very strongly that this incident deserves a full investigation so whatever went wrong could be determined and prevented in the future. This is close as you can come to a major disaster. I was told by dispatch that we were carrying a professional sports team and feel it would be worth investigating the weight and load position of their equipment. I feel our error was not writing up the event in the aircraft logbook after landing in iah. There needs to be a procedure in effect that will insure the aircraft is properly loaded in the event that any unusual cargo is being carried. The crew should also be notified.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EXTENDED TKOF ROLL AND DELAYED ROTATION WHEN THE PIC OF AN MD80 IS UNABLE TO ROTATE ACFT AT VR, FINALLY ROTATING 500 FT FROM THE DEP END OF RWY 6L AT CLE, OH.

Narrative: DURING OUR FIRST ATTEMPT TO TAKE OFF WE HAD AN EXTENDED DELAY ON RWY 6R SINCE IT WAS BEING USED FOR ARRS AND WE WERE TOO HVY FOR RWY 6L. THIS REQUIRED A RETURN TO THE RAMP FOR A SECOND DEICING AT WHICH TIME I ASKED THE FO TO CONTACT LOAD PLANNING TO SEE IF WE WOULD NOW BE LEGAL ON RWY 6R SINCE WE HAD BURNED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF FUEL. I ESTIMATE 2000+ LBS. WE WERE TOLD THE ONLY WAY TO GET NEW NUMBERS WOULD BE TO CONTACT DISPATCH VIA PHONE. WE ENDED UP USING MY CELL PHONE SINCE THE COCKPIT PHONE WOULD NOT GO THROUGH. WE RECEIVED THE NEW TKOF DATA WHILE WAITING AT THE END OF RWY 6L AND RESET THE CORRECT FLAPS, TRIM AND CTR OF GRAVITY. I RAN THE ENGS UP TO 70% N1 IN ABOUT 15 SECONDS, RELEASED THE BRAKES, CALLED FOR THE AUTOTHROTTLES, CHKED THE N1'S AROUND 90% AND AWAY WE WENT. THE AIRPLANE SEEMED TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY AND AT VR I STARTED TO ROTATE. I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT WE HAD 2500-2000 FT OF RWY REMAINING. THE NOSE DID NOT RESPOND SO I CONTINUED THE BACK PRESSURE UNTIL THE CTLS WERE FULL AFT. THE NOSE STILL DID NOT RESPOND FOR AWHILE. MY GUESS IS THAT WE WERE IN THE LAST 500 FT OF THE RWY WHEN THE ACFT FINALLY ROTATED AND BECAME AIRBORNE. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT AND LNDG AT IAH WAS UNEVENTFUL. I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT THIS INCIDENT DESERVES A FULL INVESTIGATION SO WHATEVER WENT WRONG COULD BE DETERMINED AND PREVENTED IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS CLOSE AS YOU CAN COME TO A MAJOR DISASTER. I WAS TOLD BY DISPATCH THAT WE WERE CARRYING A PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM AND FEEL IT WOULD BE WORTH INVESTIGATING THE WT AND LOAD POS OF THEIR EQUIP. I FEEL OUR ERROR WAS NOT WRITING UP THE EVENT IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK AFTER LNDG IN IAH. THERE NEEDS TO BE A PROC IN EFFECT THAT WILL INSURE THE ACFT IS PROPERLY LOADED IN THE EVENT THAT ANY UNUSUAL CARGO IS BEING CARRIED. THE CREW SHOULD ALSO BE NOTIFIED.

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.