AN ACR SF34 FLC DEPARTED AT A GROSS WT APPROX 600 LBS OVER THEIR STRUCTURAL WT LIMIT. THIS WAS DONE EVEN THOUGH THE CAPT SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME DISCUSSING THE SIT WITH A DISPATCHER BEFORE TKOF. THE FO RPTR WAS NOT A PARTY TO THESE DISCUSSIONS.

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THIS INCIDENT INVOLVES AN OVERWT TKOF FROM DFW ARPT ON DEC/XA/97 IN AN SF340B ACFT. OUR STRUCTURAL TKOF LIMIT IS 29000 LBS. AS IT TURNED OUT; WE TOOK OFF AT 29603 LBS. I; ACTING AS FO; WAS UNAWARE OF THIS AT THE TIME. HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 17R FOR TKOF; TWR INFORMED US THAT OUR DISPATCHER WAS TRYING TO REACH US. THE CAPT SWITCHED TO DISPATCH AND I REMAINED ON TWR FREQ TO ADVISE THEM; AND TO TAKE INSTRUCTIONS. (I DID NOT MONITOR THE CAPT'S CONVERSATION ON DISPATCH.) TWR INSTRUCTED US TO CROSS RWY 17R; MAKE A U-TURN AND HOLD SHORT RWY 17R FACING W. WHILE HOLDING SHORT AND FACING W; I CONTINUED TO MONITOR TWR ONLY. (I WILL MENTION HERE THAT THE TKOF WT PROVIDED TO ME BY THE CAPT WAS 28800 LBS -- BELOW OUR STRUCTURAL LIMIT AND BELOW OUR RWY AND CLB LIMIT THAT EVENING.) THE CAPT SAID TO ME ON INTERCOM THAT WE WERE A FEW HUNDRED LBS OVERWT. I ASKED IF WE NEEDED TO TAXI BACK OR COULD WE PARK SOMEWHERE TO BURN IT OFF. HE REPLIED IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG TO BURN OFF. AT THIS POINT; HE WENT OFF FREQ AGAIN TO SPEAK TO DISPATCH OR THE LOAD ROOM. I ASSUMED THEY WERE MANIPULATING OUR FUEL LOAD TO MEET RELEASE FUEL. THIS WAS MY THOUGHT AFTER HE CAME BACK UP ON THE INTERCOM AND SAID OUR WT WAS OK AND WE COULD GO. ENRTE WE RECEIVED AN ACARS SAYING WE HAD TAKEN OFF 600 LBS OVERWT. IN RETROSPECT; I SEE THAT I SHOULD HAVE MONITORED THE CAPT'S CONVERSATION WITH THE DISPATCHER AND I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE CAPT MORE THOROUGHLY AND MADE MYSELF MORE A PART OF THE DECISION MAKING LOOP.