Narrative:

After a 15 1/2 hour duty day and 7 takeoffs and lndgs thus far, we were preparing for our final leg of the day. After a complete deice just prior to taxi, I mentioned to the PIC that we were getting close to our maximum 16 hour duty day as a part 135 scheduled operator. Our final leg, as scheduled would not cause us to exceed 16 hours. During takeoff, at approximately V1, the stall horn sounded and the PIC/PF aborted the takeoff. Back at the gate, he inspected the stall warning vane visually and returned, explaining that we would need another deice, and that the VNAV had a chunk of ice on it. During our second deice, I again mentioned how close we were to our 16 hour maximum, and recommended we deplane our passenger and discuss the matter further with our operations department. The PIC explained that since the abort was a circumstance not under our control, we were legal to finish the trip, even if we exceeded a 16 hour duty day. I disagreed with him, since I felt it was now under our control to accept this leg or not. After a 15 min deice, it was obvious we would exceed our duty day by at least 1/2 hour. I told the PIC I was uncomfortable doing this, since the situation was in our hands and we knew we would exceed the 16 hour limit. He said he would take the blame if his interpretation was incorrect, and furthermore, that he knew an FAA inspector that would agree with his interpretation. I remorsefully agreed to continue the flight. We uneventfully finished the trip, exactly 1/2 hour over 16 hour duty day. Afterward, an instructor from our training department, said we were legal to exceed the maximum, since the aborted takeoff was out of our control. I do not believe this to be correct under far 135.265. I feel my company should not schedule a duty day so close in the maximum limit, especially since winter IFR WX often makes it impossible to fly the trips as scheduled. Furthermore, the PIC and I should have consulted our operations department, prior to departing and finally, I should have been more assertive in expressing my interpretation of 135.265. I should not have accepted the trip. I feel my judgement was poor, mainly due to fatigue and overcooperation with my captain.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC REST REQUIREMENTS AND DUTY TIME LIMITATIONS.

Narrative: AFTER A 15 1/2 HR DUTY DAY AND 7 TKOFS AND LNDGS THUS FAR, WE WERE PREPARING FOR OUR FINAL LEG OF THE DAY. AFTER A COMPLETE DEICE JUST PRIOR TO TAXI, I MENTIONED TO THE PIC THAT WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO OUR MAX 16 HR DUTY DAY AS A PART 135 SCHEDULED OPERATOR. OUR FINAL LEG, AS SCHEDULED WOULD NOT CAUSE US TO EXCEED 16 HRS. DURING TKOF, AT APPROX V1, THE STALL HORN SOUNDED AND THE PIC/PF ABORTED THE TKOF. BACK AT THE GATE, HE INSPECTED THE STALL WARNING VANE VISUALLY AND RETURNED, EXPLAINING THAT WE WOULD NEED ANOTHER DEICE, AND THAT THE VNAV HAD A CHUNK OF ICE ON IT. DURING OUR SECOND DEICE, I AGAIN MENTIONED HOW CLOSE WE WERE TO OUR 16 HR MAX, AND RECOMMENDED WE DEPLANE OUR PAX AND DISCUSS THE MATTER FURTHER WITH OUR OPS DEPT. THE PIC EXPLAINED THAT SINCE THE ABORT WAS A CIRCUMSTANCE NOT UNDER OUR CTL, WE WERE LEGAL TO FINISH THE TRIP, EVEN IF WE EXCEEDED A 16 HR DUTY DAY. I DISAGREED WITH HIM, SINCE I FELT IT WAS NOW UNDER OUR CTL TO ACCEPT THIS LEG OR NOT. AFTER A 15 MIN DEICE, IT WAS OBVIOUS WE WOULD EXCEED OUR DUTY DAY BY AT LEAST 1/2 HR. I TOLD THE PIC I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE DOING THIS, SINCE THE SIT WAS IN OUR HANDS AND WE KNEW WE WOULD EXCEED THE 16 HR LIMIT. HE SAID HE WOULD TAKE THE BLAME IF HIS INTERP WAS INCORRECT, AND FURTHERMORE, THAT HE KNEW AN FAA INSPECTOR THAT WOULD AGREE WITH HIS INTERP. I REMORSEFULLY AGREED TO CONTINUE THE FLT. WE UNEVENTFULLY FINISHED THE TRIP, EXACTLY 1/2 HR OVER 16 HR DUTY DAY. AFTERWARD, AN INSTRUCTOR FROM OUR TRAINING DEPT, SAID WE WERE LEGAL TO EXCEED THE MAX, SINCE THE ABORTED TKOF WAS OUT OF OUR CTL. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS TO BE CORRECT UNDER FAR 135.265. I FEEL MY COMPANY SHOULD NOT SCHEDULE A DUTY DAY SO CLOSE IN THE MAX LIMIT, ESPECIALLY SINCE WINTER IFR WX OFTEN MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FLY THE TRIPS AS SCHEDULED. FURTHERMORE, THE PIC AND I SHOULD HAVE CONSULTED OUR OPS DEPT, PRIOR TO DEPARTING AND FINALLY, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ASSERTIVE IN EXPRESSING MY INTERP OF 135.265. I SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED THE TRIP. I FEEL MY JUDGEMENT WAS POOR, MAINLY DUE TO FATIGUE AND OVERCOOPERATION WITH MY CAPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.