B737-700
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 261; Flight Crew Type 9000
Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Flight Crew Rejected Takeoff; Flight Crew Returned To Gate
Aircraft; Human Factors
I initiated a rolling takeoff in the displaced threshold section and on the extended center line of the runway. As the engines were spooling through 40% N1; I pressed the TO/GA buttons and the aircraft instantly veered to the right of centerline while accelerating forward. I depressed left rudder to correct and applied increased input to the tiller. With full left tiller applied and no directional correction happening; I rejected the takeoff without further delay. The aircraft came to rest on the right side of the concrete close to the runway edge line. Once stopped; the First Officer called Tower and I informed the cabin to remain seated. We asked Tower to send someone out to see if the aircraft departed any portion of the runway and to check to see if we hit any lights. We then asked the Tower observer to observe proper movement of the nose wheel steering. Once it was determined that all was clear and no damage was incurred; I informed the cabin that we'd need to return to the gate and we taxied back in. I'm not selecting TO/GA anymore until I've run the thrust levers up closer to the actual takeoff N1 setting. From selecting TO/GA to no directional control took less than a second. That happened WAY too fast for my comfort zone!
B737 Captain experienced loss of directional control as the TOGA buttons are pushed during a rolling takeoff. The takeoff is quickly rejected when control cannot be regained with the tiller or rudder input.