Narrative:

This incident occurred leaving pittsburgh, PA, on may/fri/02. I was the PF and the WX was clear. We were cleared for takeoff and began our climb to 4000 ft and subsequently to 11000 ft. The appropriate calls were made and checklists run. When we leveled at 11000 ft and began accelerating, the first officer realized that the flaps were still at 5 degrees. The aircraft was slowed, the flaps retracted and the flight continued to destination without further incident. The fact that I did not realize the flaps had not been retracted, and I was unable to back up my partner, is a personal disappointment. The cockpit environment was very busy, but businesslike during the time period in question. During the takeoff roll, at about V1/right, there was a momentary distraction caused by the master caution warning light flashing on and off. It was accompanied by a system warning light, but the duration of illumination was brief enough so as to prohibit identify. While climbing out, ATC was very busy with near constant radio traffic. We had our share of vectors for separation and climb that may have added to the distraction. Finally, we were employing a new company procedure which delays flap retraction an additional 400 ft. While this wouldn't seem to be significant at first glance, it does change old habit patterns and the sequence of events in relation to the early stages of climb. Somehow one would have to suspect complacency. I was flying with a very experienced and trusted first officer. The WX was very clear, all in all a beautiful day. Yet the 2 of us were working hard with the tasks at hand. Still, we both missed the fact the flaps were not up. This is a save I have made in the past, and I suspect he has as well. Yet in this case we both missed it. In the future I must renew my resolve to be more constantly aware of the aircraft confign and assure that it is proper for the current stage of flight. Supplemental information from acn 546984: on flight pit to sle, I forgot to raise the flaps during the initial climb and I did not notice it until accelerating through approximately 185 KIAS. The flaps were still at 5 degrees. I told the captain and he slowed the aircraft to approximately 140 KIAS and I retracted the flaps.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DH8 CREW, DEPARTING PIT, NEGLECTED TO COMPLETELY RETRACT THE FLAPS. ONCE THIS FACT WAS DISCOVERED BY THE CREW THE ACFT WAS SLOWED DOWN AND FLAPS RETRACTED.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED LEAVING PITTSBURGH, PA, ON MAY/FRI/02. I WAS THE PF AND THE WX WAS CLR. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AND BEGAN OUR CLB TO 4000 FT AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO 11000 FT. THE APPROPRIATE CALLS WERE MADE AND CHKLISTS RUN. WHEN WE LEVELED AT 11000 FT AND BEGAN ACCELERATING, THE FO REALIZED THAT THE FLAPS WERE STILL AT 5 DEGS. THE ACFT WAS SLOWED, THE FLAPS RETRACTED AND THE FLT CONTINUED TO DEST WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE FACT THAT I DID NOT REALIZE THE FLAPS HAD NOT BEEN RETRACTED, AND I WAS UNABLE TO BACK UP MY PARTNER, IS A PERSONAL DISAPPOINTMENT. THE COCKPIT ENVIRONMENT WAS VERY BUSY, BUT BUSINESSLIKE DURING THE TIME PERIOD IN QUESTION. DURING THE TKOF ROLL, AT ABOUT V1/R, THERE WAS A MOMENTARY DISTR CAUSED BY THE MASTER CAUTION WARNING LIGHT FLASHING ON AND OFF. IT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A SYS WARNING LIGHT, BUT THE DURATION OF ILLUMINATION WAS BRIEF ENOUGH SO AS TO PROHIBIT IDENT. WHILE CLBING OUT, ATC WAS VERY BUSY WITH NEAR CONSTANT RADIO TFC. WE HAD OUR SHARE OF VECTORS FOR SEPARATION AND CLB THAT MAY HAVE ADDED TO THE DISTR. FINALLY, WE WERE EMPLOYING A NEW COMPANY PROC WHICH DELAYS FLAP RETRACTION AN ADDITIONAL 400 FT. WHILE THIS WOULDN'T SEEM TO BE SIGNIFICANT AT FIRST GLANCE, IT DOES CHANGE OLD HABIT PATTERNS AND THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS IN RELATION TO THE EARLY STAGES OF CLB. SOMEHOW ONE WOULD HAVE TO SUSPECT COMPLACENCY. I WAS FLYING WITH A VERY EXPERIENCED AND TRUSTED FO. THE WX WAS VERY CLR, ALL IN ALL A BEAUTIFUL DAY. YET THE 2 OF US WERE WORKING HARD WITH THE TASKS AT HAND. STILL, WE BOTH MISSED THE FACT THE FLAPS WERE NOT UP. THIS IS A SAVE I HAVE MADE IN THE PAST, AND I SUSPECT HE HAS AS WELL. YET IN THIS CASE WE BOTH MISSED IT. IN THE FUTURE I MUST RENEW MY RESOLVE TO BE MORE CONSTANTLY AWARE OF THE ACFT CONFIGN AND ASSURE THAT IT IS PROPER FOR THE CURRENT STAGE OF FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 546984: ON FLT PIT TO SLE, I FORGOT TO RAISE THE FLAPS DURING THE INITIAL CLB AND I DID NOT NOTICE IT UNTIL ACCELERATING THROUGH APPROX 185 KIAS. THE FLAPS WERE STILL AT 5 DEGS. I TOLD THE CAPT AND HE SLOWED THE ACFT TO APPROX 140 KIAS AND I RETRACTED THE FLAPS.

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.