Narrative:

I haven't been working for this commuter company for very long and I am still learning the ropes. On this morning we departed a runway that had nil braking action and due to my lack of knowledge, I was unaware that we were not legal to depart under part 135 and under these conditions. I was aware through common sense that it was not a safe condition but I did not completely understand or know the rules. I did, although, ask the captain, several times and did not get a clear answer. I know he knew the parameters but would not give me a clear answer. I had also walked part of the runway and knew for a fact that there was no braking action due to the 1/8 of an inch of ice on the runway. When we arrived at the airport and talked to the ramp agent, she had wondered how soon we could get going and I replied that I didn't think we were going anywhere due to the conditions. The captain had agreed at that time and had stated that if we were to takeoff and have a problem on takeoff, we would have to continue the takeoff anyway because there was nil braking action. 45 mins later I was still waiting for it to warm up enough to melt the ice and had not yet preflted the airplane because I was under the impression that we were not going anywhere. The next thing I know they are telling me to board the aircraft and get ready for takeoff and had asked me why I had not preflted the airplane yet. Through all this, I had not seen or heard anyone mention nil braking action on the runway of departure. I know now and this won't happen to me again, but it could have been prevented with proper communication between me and the captain. I still feel sick about it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC MAKES TKOF FROM AN ARPT WITH NIL BRAKING.

Narrative: I HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING FOR THIS COMMUTER COMPANY FOR VERY LONG AND I AM STILL LEARNING THE ROPES. ON THIS MORNING WE DEPARTED A RWY THAT HAD NIL BRAKING ACTION AND DUE TO MY LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, I WAS UNAWARE THAT WE WERE NOT LEGAL TO DEPART UNDER PART 135 AND UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. I WAS AWARE THROUGH COMMON SENSE THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFE CONDITION BUT I DID NOT COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND OR KNOW THE RULES. I DID, ALTHOUGH, ASK THE CAPT, SEVERAL TIMES AND DID NOT GET A CLR ANSWER. I KNOW HE KNEW THE PARAMETERS BUT WOULD NOT GIVE ME A CLR ANSWER. I HAD ALSO WALKED PART OF THE RWY AND KNEW FOR A FACT THAT THERE WAS NO BRAKING ACTION DUE TO THE 1/8 OF AN INCH OF ICE ON THE RWY. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE ARPT AND TALKED TO THE RAMP AGENT, SHE HAD WONDERED HOW SOON WE COULD GET GOING AND I REPLIED THAT I DIDN'T THINK WE WERE GOING ANYWHERE DUE TO THE CONDITIONS. THE CAPT HAD AGREED AT THAT TIME AND HAD STATED THAT IF WE WERE TO TKOF AND HAVE A PROB ON TKOF, WE WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE THE TKOF ANYWAY BECAUSE THERE WAS NIL BRAKING ACTION. 45 MINS LATER I WAS STILL WAITING FOR IT TO WARM UP ENOUGH TO MELT THE ICE AND HAD NOT YET PREFLTED THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE WERE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. THE NEXT THING I KNOW THEY ARE TELLING ME TO BOARD THE ACFT AND GET READY FOR TKOF AND HAD ASKED ME WHY I HAD NOT PREFLTED THE AIRPLANE YET. THROUGH ALL THIS, I HAD NOT SEEN OR HEARD ANYONE MENTION NIL BRAKING ACTION ON THE RWY OF DEP. I KNOW NOW AND THIS WON'T HAPPEN TO ME AGAIN, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED WITH PROPER COM BTWN ME AND THE CAPT. I STILL FEEL SICK ABOUT IT.

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.