Narrative:

We received the WX information via far airport ATIS. Far tower reported visibility as being less than a quarter mi with RVR reported at 1400 ft. After conferring with my first officer, we concluded we were legal to depart at RVR 1200 ft and roll out RVR of 1000 ft -- due to HIRL and centerline markings being available. On our next leg, I referenced our operations manual and found our takeoff minimums require centerline lights in order to use the 1200/1000 ft rule -- not just centerline markings as I was confident was the case. Clearly, this situation was the result of my apparent overconfidence in my memory. I should have referenced our operations section regardless of my imagined time pressures. Regardless of conditions it is always in everyone's best interest to check the written document rather than rely on memory.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DEPARTED FAR WITH RVR 1400 FT. NEEDS RVR 1600 FT. THOUGHT OK SINCE RWY 35 HAS CTRLINE MARKING TO DEPART WITH RVR 1200 FT AND ROLLOUT 1000 FT. CHKED FLT OPS MANUAL LATER AND FOUND NEED CTRLINE LIGHTING FOR THE LOWER RVR.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED THE WX INFO VIA FAR ARPT ATIS. FAR TWR RPTED VISIBILITY AS BEING LESS THAN A QUARTER MI WITH RVR RPTED AT 1400 FT. AFTER CONFERRING WITH MY FO, WE CONCLUDED WE WERE LEGAL TO DEPART AT RVR 1200 FT AND ROLL OUT RVR OF 1000 FT -- DUE TO HIRL AND CTRLINE MARKINGS BEING AVAILABLE. ON OUR NEXT LEG, I REFED OUR OPS MANUAL AND FOUND OUR TKOF MINIMUMS REQUIRE CTRLINE LIGHTS IN ORDER TO USE THE 1200/1000 FT RULE -- NOT JUST CTRLINE MARKINGS AS I WAS CONFIDENT WAS THE CASE. CLRLY, THIS SIT WAS THE RESULT OF MY APPARENT OVERCONFIDENCE IN MY MEMORY. I SHOULD HAVE REFED OUR OPS SECTION REGARDLESS OF MY IMAGINED TIME PRESSURES. REGARDLESS OF CONDITIONS IT IS ALWAYS IN EVERYONE'S BEST INTEREST TO CHK THE WRITTEN DOCUMENT RATHER THAN RELY ON MEMORY.

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.