Narrative:

Our flight attendant was 40 mins late. Consequently; we pushed back 30 mins behind schedule. ATIS was reporting winds at 080 degrees 11 KTS and runway 27 was the departure runway. Our wind chart shows this is close to limitation and the wind had been varying 070-080 degrees 10-12 KTS. We were light at takeoff weight (45600 pounds) and using full thrust. The last wind check from ATC was 080 degrees at 12 KTS; cleared to take off. I was comfortable; the wind sock appeared to be falling softly and we departed. On consulting the wind chart en route; it appears we may have exceeded the tailwind limitation. Supplemental information from acn 654213: the captain mentioned the windsock was barely blowing and then told tower that yes; we were ok to take off. The tower cleared us for takeoff. The captain responded 'cleared for takeoff' and said 'your controls.' I repeated; 'my controls' and pushed the power levers forward and took off. I have to say that I regret that I didn't decline the takeoff until I could look at the chart to make sure we weren't exceeding a limitation. At the time; I felt rushed. I felt like we needed to depart sooner rather than later and I felt like the decision had been made that we were going to depart. I recognize that I had as much control at that moment to stop that takeoff as the captain; and I should have stopped it. I can say with complete certainty that I will not let this happen again. I will not hesitate to slow things down in the interest of safety and I will make the other pilot aware of any concerns I have; and if I need to stop a flight from taking off; I will use my brakes if I have to until I am convinced we are operating safely and within all of the flight standards.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ200 CREW DEPARTED WITH A TAILWIND IN EXCESS OF 10 KTS.

Narrative: OUR FLT ATTENDANT WAS 40 MINS LATE. CONSEQUENTLY; WE PUSHED BACK 30 MINS BEHIND SCHEDULE. ATIS WAS RPTING WINDS AT 080 DEGS 11 KTS AND RWY 27 WAS THE DEP RWY. OUR WIND CHART SHOWS THIS IS CLOSE TO LIMITATION AND THE WIND HAD BEEN VARYING 070-080 DEGS 10-12 KTS. WE WERE LIGHT AT TKOF WT (45600 LBS) AND USING FULL THRUST. THE LAST WIND CHK FROM ATC WAS 080 DEGS AT 12 KTS; CLRED TO TAKE OFF. I WAS COMFORTABLE; THE WIND SOCK APPEARED TO BE FALLING SOFTLY AND WE DEPARTED. ON CONSULTING THE WIND CHART ENRTE; IT APPEARS WE MAY HAVE EXCEEDED THE TAILWIND LIMITATION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 654213: THE CAPT MENTIONED THE WINDSOCK WAS BARELY BLOWING AND THEN TOLD TWR THAT YES; WE WERE OK TO TAKE OFF. THE TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. THE CAPT RESPONDED 'CLRED FOR TKOF' AND SAID 'YOUR CTLS.' I REPEATED; 'MY CTLS' AND PUSHED THE PWR LEVERS FORWARD AND TOOK OFF. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I REGRET THAT I DIDN'T DECLINE THE TKOF UNTIL I COULD LOOK AT THE CHART TO MAKE SURE WE WEREN'T EXCEEDING A LIMITATION. AT THE TIME; I FELT RUSHED. I FELT LIKE WE NEEDED TO DEPART SOONER RATHER THAN LATER AND I FELT LIKE THE DECISION HAD BEEN MADE THAT WE WERE GOING TO DEPART. I RECOGNIZE THAT I HAD AS MUCH CTL AT THAT MOMENT TO STOP THAT TKOF AS THE CAPT; AND I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED IT. I CAN SAY WITH COMPLETE CERTAINTY THAT I WILL NOT LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. I WILL NOT HESITATE TO SLOW THINGS DOWN IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY AND I WILL MAKE THE OTHER PLT AWARE OF ANY CONCERNS I HAVE; AND IF I NEED TO STOP A FLT FROM TAKING OFF; I WILL USE MY BRAKES IF I HAVE TO UNTIL I AM CONVINCED WE ARE OPERATING SAFELY AND WITHIN ALL OF THE FLT STANDARDS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.