Narrative:

Flight departed dfw with WX just above published takeoff minima. Navigation charts mandate centerline lights and runway centerline markers for the existing conditions. At 80 KTS I directed my full attention outside the aircraft. Shortly thereafter, centerline lighting guidance ceased to exist. If there were runway centerline markers I couldn't see them. I became disoriented in trying to guide the aircraft suddenly using only runway edge lights. By the time I considered aborting, we were approaching V1 and I decided I would rather spend a few more seconds on the runway accelerating than trying to retain control during a high speed abort. On climb out I reviewed navigation charts for definition of centerline lights. I could not find a satisfactory one that described centerline lights. My presumption is that they continue full length. Continuing to investigate, I could not find on the commercial charts at any airport a code for runway centerline markers on any runway in the runway equipment chart. Am I missing something? I called dfw and advised them of the lack of lights -- dozens of aircraft had/were departing runway 17R under these conditions. Suggest dfw repaint runway centerline markers on runway 17R before any more low visibility departures are allowed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUPER 80 FLC LOSES SIGHT OF RWY CTRLINE LIGHTS OR MARKERS DURING TKOF AT RWY 17R AT DFW.

Narrative: FLT DEPARTED DFW WITH WX JUST ABOVE PUBLISHED TKOF MINIMA. NAV CHARTS MANDATE CTRLINE LIGHTS AND RWY CTRLINE MARKERS FOR THE EXISTING CONDITIONS. AT 80 KTS I DIRECTED MY FULL ATTN OUTSIDE THE ACFT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CTRLINE LIGHTING GUIDANCE CEASED TO EXIST. IF THERE WERE RWY CTRLINE MARKERS I COULDN'T SEE THEM. I BECAME DISORIENTED IN TRYING TO GUIDE THE ACFT SUDDENLY USING ONLY RWY EDGE LIGHTS. BY THE TIME I CONSIDERED ABORTING, WE WERE APCHING V1 AND I DECIDED I WOULD RATHER SPEND A FEW MORE SECONDS ON THE RWY ACCELERATING THAN TRYING TO RETAIN CTL DURING A HIGH SPD ABORT. ON CLBOUT I REVIEWED NAV CHARTS FOR DEFINITION OF CTRLINE LIGHTS. I COULD NOT FIND A SATISFACTORY ONE THAT DESCRIBED CTRLINE LIGHTS. MY PRESUMPTION IS THAT THEY CONTINUE FULL LENGTH. CONTINUING TO INVESTIGATE, I COULD NOT FIND ON THE COMMERCIAL CHARTS AT ANY ARPT A CODE FOR RWY CTRLINE MARKERS ON ANY RWY IN THE RWY EQUIP CHART. AM I MISSING SOMETHING? I CALLED DFW AND ADVISED THEM OF THE LACK OF LIGHTS -- DOZENS OF ACFT HAD/WERE DEPARTING RWY 17R UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. SUGGEST DFW REPAINT RWY CTRLINE MARKERS ON RWY 17R BEFORE ANY MORE LOW VISIBILITY DEPS ARE ALLOWED.

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.