2010-07 · NASA ASRS report 898616
A B737's takeoff was rejected when the takeoff warning horn sounded at 100 KTS. Maintenance determined that Flap/Slat Electronic Unit issued a false warning.
We were taking off with a weight of 130.2; V1 of 112 KTS. The takeoff roll was normal until 100 KTS. The takeoff warning horn sounded. We were unsure if the aircraft was safe to fly. The decision had to be made immediately; and we chose to abort; as again; we unsure if the aircraft was safe to fly. The abort was normal. We exited at the end; ran the checklist and QRH; which indicated a twenty-five minute cooling off period. We taxied to the gate; called Maintenance; and replaced the FSEU (Flaps/Slat Electronic Unit) box. The next takeoff was uneventful. Evidently; this malfunction has occurred numerous times previously; although I had not heard of it before this incident. This FSEU problem information needs to be incorporated into the FOM; or this information needs to be disseminated to the pilots via a bulletin. But; when you get a takeoff warning above 80 KTS and before V1; are we to assume it is just a harmless malfunction; or the flaps or slats have actually split; or blown up; or what? A takeoff warning could mean the aircraft is unsafe to fly. In the alternative; I would suggest adjusting the parameters of the FSEU to a level; which would not create these warnings unless there is a significant problem.
Has something happened to somehow change the configuration of the flaps or leading edge devices? By the warning horn not sounding during the throttle burst prior to takeoff; was the system working properly at that point? I think it is a reasonable reaction to believe that the aircraft was not safe to fly. With only seconds to decide what is actually happening when a takeoff warning horn is sounding (erroneously) at high speed; perhaps some consideration should be taken to change the warning parameters of the Flaps/Slat Electronic Unit.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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