Narrative:

Prior to engine start, ATIS reported indefinite ceiling 200 obscured visibility zero. Just after listening to ATIS another aircraft called ground for current RVR values. Ground replied: T/D 1600, mid 1600, rollout 2400. I went to my 11-1 jax plate and checked my takeoff minimums, which were, TDZ RVR 600, mid RVR 600, rollout RVR 600, cl and rclm any RVR out other two required. I was good for takeoff for runway 7, which was what ATIS was calling for as the active. The first officer said we needed a takeoff alternate, I pointed out we had CAT ii landing minimums on runway 7, so takeoff alternate wasn't necessary. I had checked my taxi diagram for runway 7, for taxi out planning from my parking spot, and was ready for engine start. After engine start and call up for taxi out, jax ground asked if I wanted runway 31. The first officer pointed out that 31 was much closer than runway 7 from our parking spot. While getting the aircraft on the taxi roll, I said, 'yes'. Taxiing out to runway 31 I was thinking takeoff minimums. I know I checked runway 7, but what about 31? We had made a CAT ii approach to runway 7 45 mins earlier, with reported WX indefininte 200 obscured runway 7 TDZ RVR 4000, mid 2400, rollout 1600. During the approach and landing it was still dark. The approach and landing went well. Taxi in visibility had seemed more difficult. Taxiing out for takeoff at jax, it was after dawn, and taxi visibility seemed much better than taxi in 45 min earlier. The taxi to runway 31 was short. We got to the departure end of runway 31 just after finishing our checklists, and I felt the visibility was much better than reported, plus the daylight factor. I went ahead and asked for takeoff clearance and executed an uneventful takeoff. All the while, takeoff minimums was ringing in the back of my mind. After takeoff, wheels up, I said out loud, 'that was an illegal takeoff.' this was the fourth leg of the work day, which began at ab:oo local east coast time, (event in question took place at ah:45 local east coast). Besides the long work day on the back side of the clock, there was the added stress and anxiety from the departure planning and flight to jax, with WX reported and forecast to be marginal. I allowed my actual WX observation on taxi out to overweigh actual reported WX. Besides, ATC offered runway 31 (why would ATC offer me a runway if it wasn't legal?)...I know that it's my responsibility to determine what I'm legal for! I was tired, I wanted to get to destination and to bed. I used bad judgement in accepting and taking off runway 31.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT TKOF JAX WITH WX BELOW PUBLISHED MINIMUMS.

Narrative: PRIOR TO ENG START, ATIS RPTED INDEFINITE CEILING 200 OBSCURED VISIBILITY ZERO. JUST AFTER LISTENING TO ATIS ANOTHER ACFT CALLED GND FOR CURRENT RVR VALUES. GND REPLIED: T/D 1600, MID 1600, ROLLOUT 2400. I WENT TO MY 11-1 JAX PLATE AND CHKED MY TKOF MINIMUMS, WHICH WERE, TDZ RVR 600, MID RVR 600, ROLLOUT RVR 600, CL AND RCLM ANY RVR OUT OTHER TWO REQUIRED. I WAS GOOD FOR TKOF FOR RWY 7, WHICH WAS WHAT ATIS WAS CALLING FOR AS THE ACTIVE. THE F/O SAID WE NEEDED A TKOF ALTERNATE, I POINTED OUT WE HAD CAT II LNDG MINIMUMS ON RWY 7, SO TKOF ALTERNATE WASN'T NECESSARY. I HAD CHKED MY TAXI DIAGRAM FOR RWY 7, FOR TAXI OUT PLANNING FROM MY PARKING SPOT, AND WAS READY FOR ENG START. AFTER ENG START AND CALL UP FOR TAXI OUT, JAX GND ASKED IF I WANTED RWY 31. THE F/O POINTED OUT THAT 31 WAS MUCH CLOSER THAN RWY 7 FROM OUR PARKING SPOT. WHILE GETTING THE ACFT ON THE TAXI ROLL, I SAID, 'YES'. TAXIING OUT TO RWY 31 I WAS THINKING TKOF MINIMUMS. I KNOW I CHKED RWY 7, BUT WHAT ABOUT 31? WE HAD MADE A CAT II APCH TO RWY 7 45 MINS EARLIER, WITH RPTED WX INDEFININTE 200 OBSCURED RWY 7 TDZ RVR 4000, MID 2400, ROLLOUT 1600. DURING THE APCH AND LNDG IT WAS STILL DARK. THE APCH AND LNDG WENT WELL. TAXI IN VISIBILITY HAD SEEMED MORE DIFFICULT. TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF AT JAX, IT WAS AFTER DAWN, AND TAXI VISIBILITY SEEMED MUCH BETTER THAN TAXI IN 45 MIN EARLIER. THE TAXI TO RWY 31 WAS SHORT. WE GOT TO THE DEP END OF RWY 31 JUST AFTER FINISHING OUR CHKLISTS, AND I FELT THE VISIBILITY WAS MUCH BETTER THAN RPTED, PLUS THE DAYLIGHT FACTOR. I WENT AHEAD AND ASKED FOR TKOF CLRNC AND EXECUTED AN UNEVENTFUL TKOF. ALL THE WHILE, TKOF MINIMUMS WAS RINGING IN THE BACK OF MY MIND. AFTER TKOF, WHEELS UP, I SAID OUT LOUD, 'THAT WAS AN ILLEGAL TKOF.' THIS WAS THE FOURTH LEG OF THE WORK DAY, WHICH BEGAN AT AB:OO LCL EAST COAST TIME, (EVENT IN QUESTION TOOK PLACE AT AH:45 LCL EAST COAST). BESIDES THE LONG WORK DAY ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK, THERE WAS THE ADDED STRESS AND ANXIETY FROM THE DEP PLANNING AND FLT TO JAX, WITH WX RPTED AND FORECAST TO BE MARGINAL. I ALLOWED MY ACTUAL WX OBSERVATION ON TAXI OUT TO OVERWEIGH ACTUAL RPTED WX. BESIDES, ATC OFFERED RWY 31 (WHY WOULD ATC OFFER ME A RWY IF IT WASN'T LEGAL?)...I KNOW THAT IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO DETERMINE WHAT I'M LEGAL FOR! I WAS TIRED, I WANTED TO GET TO DEST AND TO BED. I USED BAD JUDGEMENT IN ACCEPTING AND TAKING OFF RWY 31.

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.