Narrative:

1/2 inch of snow on runway. Temperature 1 degree C. During takeoff roll, the captain aborted after V1 due to what he felt was a lack of control effectiveness. There was no indication of control malfunction or any control defect of any kind. Trim was rechked with the weight and balance and found to be correct. When rotating, the control column came back as usual and there was a short hesitation due to nose heavy tendencies of snow on runway and trim setting of 5 degrees. The nose even began a slight rise. When no problem could be found, the captain came to the conclusion that he just got spooked. Considering that I could not identify any problem and had experienced the same lag that he had described, I agreed to take off again. In retrospect, returning to the gate and calling maintenance would have been the best. I also question the captain's decision to abort. Supplemental information from acn 568273: just prior to V1 and vr (both at 115 KTS), I brought the control column from full forward to neutral. I noticed slightly heavier than usual control pressure. At V1 and V4, I applied back pressure for rotation and noticed unusually heavy control pressure and a lack of rotation. I aborted the takeoff. The EMB145 has substantial main landing gear drag in snow, causing a nose down moment. There is no takeoff trim adjustment to compensate for this. When faced with the option of going off the end of the runway accelerating or trying to stop and minimizing the speed, I aborted the takeoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 CAPT ABORTED TKOF ABOVE V1 ON A SNOW CONTAMINATED RWY AT PIT.

Narrative: 1/2 INCH OF SNOW ON RWY. TEMP 1 DEG C. DURING TKOF ROLL, THE CAPT ABORTED AFTER V1 DUE TO WHAT HE FELT WAS A LACK OF CTL EFFECTIVENESS. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF CTL MALFUNCTION OR ANY CTL DEFECT OF ANY KIND. TRIM WAS RECHKED WITH THE WT AND BAL AND FOUND TO BE CORRECT. WHEN ROTATING, THE CTL COLUMN CAME BACK AS USUAL AND THERE WAS A SHORT HESITATION DUE TO NOSE HVY TENDENCIES OF SNOW ON RWY AND TRIM SETTING OF 5 DEGS. THE NOSE EVEN BEGAN A SLIGHT RISE. WHEN NO PROB COULD BE FOUND, THE CAPT CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT HE JUST GOT SPOOKED. CONSIDERING THAT I COULD NOT IDENT ANY PROB AND HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME LAG THAT HE HAD DESCRIBED, I AGREED TO TAKE OFF AGAIN. IN RETROSPECT, RETURNING TO THE GATE AND CALLING MAINT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BEST. I ALSO QUESTION THE CAPT'S DECISION TO ABORT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 568273: JUST PRIOR TO V1 AND VR (BOTH AT 115 KTS), I BROUGHT THE CTL COLUMN FROM FULL FORWARD TO NEUTRAL. I NOTICED SLIGHTLY HEAVIER THAN USUAL CTL PRESSURE. AT V1 AND V4, I APPLIED BACK PRESSURE FOR ROTATION AND NOTICED UNUSUALLY HVY CTL PRESSURE AND A LACK OF ROTATION. I ABORTED THE TKOF. THE EMB145 HAS SUBSTANTIAL MAIN LNDG GEAR DRAG IN SNOW, CAUSING A NOSE DOWN MOMENT. THERE IS NO TKOF TRIM ADJUSTMENT TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS. WHEN FACED WITH THE OPTION OF GOING OFF THE END OF THE RWY ACCELERATING OR TRYING TO STOP AND MINIMIZING THE SPD, I ABORTED THE TKOF.

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.