Medium large transport takeoff with RVR below takeoff minimums.

Attributes
ACN	144546
Time
Date	199005
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : roc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	144546
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On taxi out for takeoff, conditions for takeoff were reported to be T/D RVR 5000' and roll out RVR 400'. An large transport was inbound for runway 4 on the ILS. This aircraft landed and we were cleared for takeoff. Tower reported T/D RVR as 5000' and rollout as 0. I asked the captain if he was going to wait and he said no, that we were cleared for takeoff so off we go. The operations specifications were reviewed by myself after we took off and showed both were controling, when operable. I knew this when I asked the captain, but he decided that 5000' T/D was controling. Not to get into a large discussion over semantics, I guess it still is very difficult to challenge this authority, but am bothered about my own responsibility in this matter. The far's make both pilots responsible, but only one makes the decision.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG TKOF WITH RVR BELOW TKOF MINIMUMS.

Narrative: ON TAXI OUT FOR TKOF, CONDITIONS FOR TKOF WERE RPTED TO BE T/D RVR 5000' AND ROLL OUT RVR 400'. AN LGT WAS INBND FOR RWY 4 ON THE ILS. THIS ACFT LANDED AND WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. TWR RPTED T/D RVR AS 5000' AND ROLLOUT AS 0. I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WAS GOING TO WAIT AND HE SAID NO, THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF SO OFF WE GO. THE OPS SPECS WERE REVIEWED BY MYSELF AFTER WE TOOK OFF AND SHOWED BOTH WERE CTLING, WHEN OPERABLE. I KNEW THIS WHEN I ASKED THE CAPT, BUT HE DECIDED THAT 5000' T/D WAS CTLING. NOT TO GET INTO A LARGE DISCUSSION OVER SEMANTICS, I GUESS IT STILL IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CHALLENGE THIS AUTHORITY, BUT AM BOTHERED ABOUT MY OWN RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS MATTER. THE FAR'S MAKE BOTH PLTS RESPONSIBLE, BUT ONLY ONE MAKES THE DECISION.

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.