FLAP WARNING ON START OF TKOF. TKOF ABORTED. FLAP LEVER RESET. SECOND TKOF ATTEMPT SUCCESSFUL.

Narrative

CREW HAD BEEN ON DUTY FOR 12 HRS WITH A FINAL LEG OF FLT FROM EWR TO CLE. A 3 HR SIT (AFTER A 1 HR VAN RIDE BTWN LGA AND EWR) HAD CONTRIBUTED TO A FACTOR OF FATIGUE. ADDITIONALLY THE AIRLINE IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A DESPERATE FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL WHICH HAS A CONTINUOUS INFLUENCE ON PERSPECTIVE OF ALL CREW MEMBERS. AS MUCH AS WE TRY TO KEEP IT OUT OF MIND WHILE FLYING IT IS STILL A CONTINUOUS DRAW ON ALERTNESS. AFTER ENG START; A MINOR SYS MALFUNCTION DISTRACTED OUR ATTN AND FOCUS DURING INITIAL TAXI TO RWY FOR TKOF. VERY LARGE BACK-LOG OF ACFT WAITING FOR TKOF RESULTED IN CONTINUOUS CHATTER ON THE RADIO. CORRECTION OF SYS MALFUNCTION WAS COMPLETED WITH A COUPLE OF INTERRUPTIONS OF THE RADIO. END RESULT: TKOF CHKLIST NEVER INITIATED OR COMPLETED. FLAPS NEVER EXTENDED FOR TKOF. TKOF WAS ATTEMPTED BUT WARNING HORN CAUSED A REJECTION AT A NEGLIGIBLE SPD. ACFT WAS TAXIED CLR; FLAPS EXTENDED AND CHKLIST COMPLETED. A SUBSEQUENT TKOF WAS UNEVENTFUL. THIS EVENT IS A BLESSING. THOUGH TERRIBLY HUMBLING TO MY PROFESSIONAL PRIDE IT HAS SERVED ME NOTICE THAT AS HARD AS I TRY I AM VULNERABLE TO THE SUBTLE AND NOT SO SUBTLE INFLUENCES AROUND ME WAITING TO LEAD ME ASTRAY. A CREW CAN AND WILL MAKE THESE MISTAKES (CRITICAL ERRORS OF PROCS) WHEN THEY ARE EXPOSED TO AND SUCCUMB TO THOSE NEGATIVE INFLUENCES ABOUT THEM. WE HAVE SOME CTL OVER THESE INFLUENCES; THAT CTL HAS TO BE EXERCISED WHEN THE TASK AT HAND IS FLYING.