Narrative:

We had completed all checklists properly. It was my takeoff. As I brought up the thrust levers, we got the 'unsafe takeoff warning' horn. We rejected the takeoff at about 10 KTS and exited runway. I told the captain we might want to return to gate. He said let's find the problem first. We doublechked all possible items but still got horn. Then I noticed the speed brake handle was in the 'down detent' position as it should be, but the little metal tab that locks it in place had about 1/8 inch more to go to hit the physical bottom. I gave it a light tap and that took care of problem. We were both satisfied that was the problem. I said we still needed to go back to the gate and have maintenance sign it off as being ok. Captain asked me if I was satisfied that it was safe to go. I said I was 100 percent certain we were safe but still needed to return to gate. The reason I gave was that if we got a 'takeoff warning horn' we either had mechanical problem or we did not do our checklist properly. If we don't return to the gate, we are saying by default that the airplane is ok then the problem was improper checklist procedures by crew. I told captain there had been problems with the FAA several yrs ago concerning this matter. He noted my desire to return to the gate, but took captain authority/authorized and said we would not return to the gate. We took off and proceeded normally. I had no problem with this from a safety standpoint, but I am very concerned that the FAA will come after us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER ABORTING DUE TO AN UNSAFE TKOF WARNING HORN, THE FO DID NOT WANT TO TKOF AGAIN UNTIL COMPANY MAINT SIGNED OFF THEIR SYS FOR ANOTHER FLT RELEASE. FLC DISCOVERED THAT THE CAUSE WAS DUE TO THE SPD BRAKE HANDLE NOT BEING FULLY STOWED. HOWEVER, THE CAPT INSISTED THAT IT WAS 'OK' TO TKOF WITHOUT MAINT CHK OR REDISPATCHING.

Narrative: WE HAD COMPLETED ALL CHKLISTS PROPERLY. IT WAS MY TKOF. AS I BROUGHT UP THE THRUST LEVERS, WE GOT THE 'UNSAFE TKOF WARNING' HORN. WE REJECTED THE TKOF AT ABOUT 10 KTS AND EXITED RWY. I TOLD THE CAPT WE MIGHT WANT TO RETURN TO GATE. HE SAID LET'S FIND THE PROB FIRST. WE DOUBLECHKED ALL POSSIBLE ITEMS BUT STILL GOT HORN. THEN I NOTICED THE SPD BRAKE HANDLE WAS IN THE 'DOWN DETENT' POS AS IT SHOULD BE, BUT THE LITTLE METAL TAB THAT LOCKS IT IN PLACE HAD ABOUT 1/8 INCH MORE TO GO TO HIT THE PHYSICAL BOTTOM. I GAVE IT A LIGHT TAP AND THAT TOOK CARE OF PROB. WE WERE BOTH SATISFIED THAT WAS THE PROB. I SAID WE STILL NEEDED TO GO BACK TO THE GATE AND HAVE MAINT SIGN IT OFF AS BEING OK. CAPT ASKED ME IF I WAS SATISFIED THAT IT WAS SAFE TO GO. I SAID I WAS 100 PERCENT CERTAIN WE WERE SAFE BUT STILL NEEDED TO RETURN TO GATE. THE REASON I GAVE WAS THAT IF WE GOT A 'TKOF WARNING HORN' WE EITHER HAD MECHANICAL PROB OR WE DID NOT DO OUR CHKLIST PROPERLY. IF WE DON'T RETURN TO THE GATE, WE ARE SAYING BY DEFAULT THAT THE AIRPLANE IS OK THEN THE PROB WAS IMPROPER CHKLIST PROCS BY CREW. I TOLD CAPT THERE HAD BEEN PROBS WITH THE FAA SEVERAL YRS AGO CONCERNING THIS MATTER. HE NOTED MY DESIRE TO RETURN TO THE GATE, BUT TOOK CAPT AUTH AND SAID WE WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE GATE. WE TOOK OFF AND PROCEEDED NORMALLY. I HAD NO PROB WITH THIS FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THE FAA WILL COME AFTER US.

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.