Unauthorized takeoff. No takeoff alternate specified with dispatch.

Attributes
ACN	294150
Time
Date	199501
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tvc
State Reference	MI
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	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
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 : 70 flight time total : 15200 flight time type : 8200
ASRS Report	294150
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	294023
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Visibility at tvc reported on ATIS at pushback was 5/8 mi. We observed over 1/2 mi visibility on taxi and takeoff from runway 28, tvc. Apparently, new WX observation came out during our taxi, reporting 3/16 mi visibilty (prevailing visibilty, no RVR.) to the best that we can determine, we should have confirmed with tower that we have adequate forward visibility of over 1/4 mi for takeoff from runway 28, even though prevailing visibility was below 1/4 mi charted takeoff minimums flight proceeded without incident. Also, we should have confirmed takeoff alternate with dispatch, although this was a non-issue due to adequate fuel load.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH TKOF. NO TKOF ALTERNATE SPECIFIED WITH DISPATCH.

Narrative: VISIBILITY AT TVC RPTED ON ATIS AT PUSHBACK WAS 5/8 MI. WE OBSERVED OVER 1/2 MI VISIBILITY ON TAXI AND TKOF FROM RWY 28, TVC. APPARENTLY, NEW WX OBSERVATION CAME OUT DURING OUR TAXI, RPTING 3/16 MI VISIBILTY (PREVAILING VISIBILTY, NO RVR.) TO THE BEST THAT WE CAN DETERMINE, WE SHOULD HAVE CONFIRMED WITH TWR THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE FORWARD VISIBILITY OF OVER 1/4 MI FOR TKOF FROM RWY 28, EVEN THOUGH PREVAILING VISIBILITY WAS BELOW 1/4 MI CHARTED TKOF MINIMUMS FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ALSO, WE SHOULD HAVE CONFIRMED TKOF ALTERNATE WITH DISPATCH, ALTHOUGH THIS WAS A NON-ISSUE DUE TO ADEQUATE FUEL LOAD.

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.