Narrative:

We arrived at operations early and began our preflight duties. We still had 1:15 until departure time. The captain began his preflight exterior inspection while I loaded our baggage and began the preflight cockpit inspection. While I was performing my cockpit preparation duties catering serviced the aircraft.I stepped off the aircraft to do my own exterior inspection. While doing so I checked to make sure all rbf (remove before flight) flags and [their attached] covers were removed. We then completed our checklists; taxied out and were cleared for takeoff. The captain initiated the takeoff roll. At 40 KIAS my airspeed indicator began indicating airspeed; however the captain's was indicating only '--' [dashes]. I then called 'abort; abort; abort' and notified the tower that we were aborting.we returned to the FBO where we discovered that during preflight when the captain removed the pitot/static covers the string between the rbf and pitot cover had broken; leaving the black pitot cover covering the pitot tube. First off; the covers are attached to the remove before flight flags with simple string that can and did break very easily. I recommend the remove before flight flags be attached to the actual cover with wire that is clamped closed. At least wire attached flags would allow the cover to come off and not break away from the flag.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BAE125-800 rejected their takeoff due to no airspeed indication on the Captain's ASI. Inspection determined the Captain's pitot tube cover had not been removed when the cord attaching it to the Remove Before Flight flag failed and the cover itself remained on the pitot tube.

Narrative: We arrived at operations early and began our preflight duties. We still had 1:15 until departure time. The Captain began his preflight exterior inspection while I loaded our baggage and began the preflight cockpit inspection. While I was performing my cockpit preparation duties catering serviced the aircraft.I stepped off the aircraft to do my own exterior inspection. While doing so I checked to make sure all RBF (Remove Before Flight) flags and [their attached] covers were removed. We then completed our checklists; taxied out and were cleared for takeoff. The Captain initiated the takeoff roll. At 40 KIAS my airspeed indicator began indicating airspeed; however the Captain's was indicating only '--' [dashes]. I then called 'Abort; Abort; Abort' and notified the Tower that we were aborting.We returned to the FBO where we discovered that during preflight when the Captain removed the pitot/static covers the string between the RBF and pitot cover had broken; leaving the black pitot cover covering the pitot tube. First off; the covers are attached to the REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT flags with simple string that can and did break very easily. I recommend the REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT flags be attached to the actual cover with wire that is clamped closed. At least wire attached flags would allow the cover to come off and not break away from the flag.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.