MD-11
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Rejected Takeoff
Human Factors; Aircraft
After pushback and while starting #2 engine (#3 and #1 engines already started); received a Level 1 Alert for L Hyd Pump Off for #3 eng; push back crew had already checked off and cleared; continued starting #2. Had to use hand signals to push back crew to reattach headset to notify of hyd problem as we consulted QRH; when alert went away. All hyd systems were normal and operating correctly so we continued. We had a short taxi to RWY 16R. After we were given clearance for takeoff; I glanced up at the overhead panel and discovered APU still running. This occurred prior to takeoff power applied and immediately cancelled takeoff clearance as we rolled to the next high speed taxiway to clear. After we cleared; we realized that we had never completed the After Start checklist due to the distraction of the temporary Hyd alert. After we debriefed as a crew and completed all checklists; we executed an uneventful takeoff The cause was a distraction; which shifted our attention away from executing a normal sequence of events.Don't let a low priority event interfere with current priorities. We should have completed the After Start checklist; then consulted maintenance; which in turn would have set us up for the expected sequence once we cleared maintenance off and proceeded.
The flight crew of an MD-11; distracted by a short duration hydraulic pump pressure warning during engine start; failed to complete the after start checklist during a short subsequent taxi to the active runway; and had to reject their takeoff at low speed when the realized their error.