Narrative:

Normal preflight (cockpit and walkaround) and paperwork review. Captain was the PF. Gate, normal pushback, engine start and taxi. Taxied via taxiway B, taxiway D to runway 22L. WX conditions were high overcast, temperatures in the mid 60's, and light winds from the southwest, runway dry. Cleared into position and hold and during runway centerline alignment cleared for takeoff, heading 090 degrees. During takeoff roll, heard an intermittent light popping sound. Sound continued on initial takeoff roll with some slight vibrations. Captain asked first officer his thoughts. Sounds dissipated around 40-50 KIAS. No ctlability issues so decision was made to continue takeoff. Remainder of takeoff roll normal with a normal rotation and climb out. Gear retraction was normal with no abnormal system indications noted. Hydraulic quantity and pressure were normal. In cruise, captain discussed noise/vibration with the purser to see what he had heard. Discussion was continued with first officer, and decision to continue to dca. Made a normal descent and approach into dca. Planned a flaps 40 degree approach to runway 1. Weight was 99.0, vref of 123, WX was winds 020 degrees at 4 KTS. 10 SM visibility, few clouds FL250, temperature of 20 degrees C. Gear extension on downwind/base was normal with no abnormal sounds/vibrations or system indications. Lng was on speed, in touchdown zone, and mains touched down at a normal rate of descent followed by a normal lowering of the nose gear. Selected reverse and immediately heard loud grinding sounds and nose low attitude. Captain maintained directional control on runway centerline and aircraft came to a stop. Queried ATC as to what they saw. ATC responded they saw some smoke but no fire. Requested they roll the emergency equipment (already done by them). Captain asked the purser for a cabin condition report. Based on ATC and cabin reports, captain had passenger remain seated. Since conditions did not warrant and evacuate/evacuation we reviewed the qrc and parking checklist and performed the appropriate items. Shut engines down and started the APU. Fire department arrived and sprayed the nose gear area. They indicated/stated no fire danger concerns. Remained in contact with ATC, cabin crew, and fire personnel, and finally local company operations. Once the aircraft and engines were secured, and the situation under control, the captain communicated with the passenger that the situation was under control, that there was no danger present, and would keep them advised. Flight attendants stated that passenger were calm and staying in their seats. After about 15-20 mins, passenger and crew exited aircraft from door 2L via airstairs to waiting busses. Passenger complimented crew on their handling of the situation.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CREW HAD A POPPING SOUND AND SLIGHT VIBRATIONS ON TKOF ROLL AT ORD. ON LNDG AT DCA, THE ATCT LCL CTLR SAW SMOKE FROM THE NOSE GEAR AND CALLED CFR.

Narrative: NORMAL PREFLT (COCKPIT AND WALKAROUND) AND PAPERWORK REVIEW. CAPT WAS THE PF. GATE, NORMAL PUSHBACK, ENG START AND TAXI. TAXIED VIA TXWY B, TXWY D TO RWY 22L. WX CONDITIONS WERE HIGH OVCST, TEMPS IN THE MID 60'S, AND LIGHT WINDS FROM THE SW, RWY DRY. CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD AND DURING RWY CTRLINE ALIGNMENT CLRED FOR TKOF, HDG 090 DEGS. DURING TKOF ROLL, HEARD AN INTERMITTENT LIGHT POPPING SOUND. SOUND CONTINUED ON INITIAL TKOF ROLL WITH SOME SLIGHT VIBRATIONS. CAPT ASKED FO HIS THOUGHTS. SOUNDS DISSIPATED AROUND 40-50 KIAS. NO CTLABILITY ISSUES SO DECISION WAS MADE TO CONTINUE TKOF. REMAINDER OF TKOF ROLL NORMAL WITH A NORMAL ROTATION AND CLBOUT. GEAR RETRACTION WAS NORMAL WITH NO ABNORMAL SYS INDICATIONS NOTED. HYD QUANTITY AND PRESSURE WERE NORMAL. IN CRUISE, CAPT DISCUSSED NOISE/VIBRATION WITH THE PURSER TO SEE WHAT HE HAD HEARD. DISCUSSION WAS CONTINUED WITH FO, AND DECISION TO CONTINUE TO DCA. MADE A NORMAL DSCNT AND APCH INTO DCA. PLANNED A FLAPS 40 DEG APCH TO RWY 1. WT WAS 99.0, VREF OF 123, WX WAS WINDS 020 DEGS AT 4 KTS. 10 SM VISIBILITY, FEW CLOUDS FL250, TEMP OF 20 DEGS C. GEAR EXTENSION ON DOWNWIND/BASE WAS NORMAL WITH NO ABNORMAL SOUNDS/VIBRATIONS OR SYS INDICATIONS. LNG WAS ON SPD, IN TOUCHDOWN ZONE, AND MAINS TOUCHED DOWN AT A NORMAL RATE OF DSCNT FOLLOWED BY A NORMAL LOWERING OF THE NOSE GEAR. SELECTED REVERSE AND IMMEDIATELY HEARD LOUD GRINDING SOUNDS AND NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. CAPT MAINTAINED DIRECTIONAL CTL ON RWY CTRLINE AND ACFT CAME TO A STOP. QUERIED ATC AS TO WHAT THEY SAW. ATC RESPONDED THEY SAW SOME SMOKE BUT NO FIRE. REQUESTED THEY ROLL THE EMER EQUIP (ALREADY DONE BY THEM). CAPT ASKED THE PURSER FOR A CABIN CONDITION RPT. BASED ON ATC AND CABIN RPTS, CAPT HAD PAX REMAIN SEATED. SINCE CONDITIONS DID NOT WARRANT AND EVAC WE REVIEWED THE QRC AND PARKING CHKLIST AND PERFORMED THE APPROPRIATE ITEMS. SHUT ENGS DOWN AND STARTED THE APU. FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND SPRAYED THE NOSE GEAR AREA. THEY INDICATED/STATED NO FIRE DANGER CONCERNS. REMAINED IN CONTACT WITH ATC, CABIN CREW, AND FIRE PERSONNEL, AND FINALLY LCL COMPANY OPS. ONCE THE ACFT AND ENGS WERE SECURED, AND THE SIT UNDER CTL, THE CAPT COMMUNICATED WITH THE PAX THAT THE SIT WAS UNDER CTL, THAT THERE WAS NO DANGER PRESENT, AND WOULD KEEP THEM ADVISED. FLT ATTENDANTS STATED THAT PAX WERE CALM AND STAYING IN THEIR SEATS. AFTER ABOUT 15-20 MINS, PAX AND CREW EXITED ACFT FROM DOOR 2L VIA AIRSTAIRS TO WAITING BUSSES. PAX COMPLIMENTED CREW ON THEIR HANDLING OF THE SIT.

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.