Incident Overview
The crew of a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 reported a flight control anomaly during takeoff. According to the captain, the airplane's rotation was slightly delayed by about 3 to 4 knots and required approximately 30 to 35 pounds of control column back pressure to complete the takeoff. Once the aircraft was established on a standard rate of climb, no further anomalies were noted.
Witness Account
A flight attendant seated at the forward "A" position reported hearing a loud "pinging" noise coming from just under her feet during the takeoff. The sound was not heard at any other phase of the flight.
Post-Flight Inspection
After an uneventful landing at the flight's intended destination, the captain reported the issue to company maintenance personnel. An inspection of the airplane revealed that an additional 500 pounds of cargo and baggage had been inadvertently loaded into the forward cargo bay. Company maintenance then conducted an extensive inspection and evaluation of the flight control system, which revealed no flight control anomalies. The operator further reported that the flight data recorder (FDR) readout showed the flight control system operated normally during the entire flight.