Unauthorized takeoff when WX minimums for takeoff were reported as too low for operations.

Attributes
ACN	261542
Time
Date	199401
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : day
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	261542
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
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:

After push back requested taxi clearance. Ground control asked if we wanted runway 6R, said 'yes.' not recalling last ATIS which gave 1/8 mi visibility, we accepted. Surface visibility at our location was better than 2 mi. Controller asked if we wanted lights turned down since visibility was much better than reported, we said 'no.' we proceeded with takeoff not thinking it was below stated minimums, even though controller said 'visibility is much better now', (better than 1/8 is 1/4) we would be legal for runway 6R. But ATIS was not changed till PM13 local at which time visibility was 2 mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH TKOF WHEN WX MINIMUMS FOR TKOF WERE REPORTED AS TOO LOW FOR OPS.

Narrative: AFTER PUSH BACK REQUESTED TAXI CLRNC. GND CTL ASKED IF WE WANTED RWY 6R, SAID 'YES.' NOT RECALLING LAST ATIS WHICH GAVE 1/8 MI VISIBILITY, WE ACCEPTED. SURFACE VISIBILITY AT OUR LOCATION WAS BETTER THAN 2 MI. CTLR ASKED IF WE WANTED LIGHTS TURNED DOWN SINCE VISIBILITY WAS MUCH BETTER THAN REPORTED, WE SAID 'NO.' WE PROCEEDED WITH TKOF NOT THINKING IT WAS BELOW STATED MINIMUMS, EVEN THOUGH CTLR SAID 'VISIBILITY IS MUCH BETTER NOW', (BETTER THAN 1/8 IS 1/4) WE WOULD BE LEGAL FOR RWY 6R. BUT ATIS WAS NOT CHANGED TILL PM13 LCL AT WHICH TIME VISIBILITY WAS 2 MI.

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.