Narrative:

We received our release and the captain looked over the paperwork. We saw we had an alternate of cae. The captain checked the WX in dfw; atl; and cae. We noticed that the metar in atl was reporting 1/8 SM and the taf reported a tempo of 1/2 SM for time of arrival. The captain read the read the main body of the taf to read 6 SM visibility with a tempo of 1/2 SM and fog with it improving as the morning progressed. The captain briefed the WX as 6 SM and a tempo of 1/2 SM and fog. The captain then noticed an engine #2 short dispatch message on the EICAS and called dispatch. The dispatcher switched him over to maintenance control with no new information on the WX. We deferred the fadec per the MEL and continued getting ready for departure. Taxied out with no information from dispatch. We waited at the end of the runway for takeoff and were given clearance to depart. In the climb out around 18000 ft; we received an ACARS message from dispatch telling us we didn't have the WX and to return to dfw. We questioned it thinking the WX must have dropped. He informed us of the visibility. We asked ATC for clearance back to dfw. We landed back in dfw and taxied back to the gate. Upon reaching the gate we called dispatch and got the information. The taf had been updated and we refueled; got the new release packet and continued the flight back to atl. With no information from dispatch; a poor printout of the WX; and only 1 alternate; we did not question the 6 SM visibility on the main body of the taf. According to dispatch it was a 0 SM visibility which was hard to make out on the paperwork. A lot of stations need better printers and darker ink. The releases can be hard to read. Better communication between the dispatchers and crew in bad WX would also increase safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E170 FLT CREW MISREADS WX BRIEFING MESSAGE OF ZERO VISIBILITY AT DEST AS SIX MILES. DEPARTS AND IS ASKED TO RETURN BY DISPATCH.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED OUR RELEASE AND THE CAPT LOOKED OVER THE PAPERWORK. WE SAW WE HAD AN ALTERNATE OF CAE. THE CAPT CHKED THE WX IN DFW; ATL; AND CAE. WE NOTICED THAT THE METAR IN ATL WAS RPTING 1/8 SM AND THE TAF RPTED A TEMPO OF 1/2 SM FOR TIME OF ARR. THE CAPT READ THE READ THE MAIN BODY OF THE TAF TO READ 6 SM VISIBILITY WITH A TEMPO OF 1/2 SM AND FOG WITH IT IMPROVING AS THE MORNING PROGRESSED. THE CAPT BRIEFED THE WX AS 6 SM AND A TEMPO OF 1/2 SM AND FOG. THE CAPT THEN NOTICED AN ENG #2 SHORT DISPATCH MESSAGE ON THE EICAS AND CALLED DISPATCH. THE DISPATCHER SWITCHED HIM OVER TO MAINT CTL WITH NO NEW INFO ON THE WX. WE DEFERRED THE FADEC PER THE MEL AND CONTINUED GETTING READY FOR DEP. TAXIED OUT WITH NO INFO FROM DISPATCH. WE WAITED AT THE END OF THE RWY FOR TKOF AND WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO DEPART. IN THE CLBOUT AROUND 18000 FT; WE RECEIVED AN ACARS MESSAGE FROM DISPATCH TELLING US WE DIDN'T HAVE THE WX AND TO RETURN TO DFW. WE QUESTIONED IT THINKING THE WX MUST HAVE DROPPED. HE INFORMED US OF THE VISIBILITY. WE ASKED ATC FOR CLRNC BACK TO DFW. WE LANDED BACK IN DFW AND TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE. UPON REACHING THE GATE WE CALLED DISPATCH AND GOT THE INFO. THE TAF HAD BEEN UPDATED AND WE REFUELED; GOT THE NEW RELEASE PACKET AND CONTINUED THE FLT BACK TO ATL. WITH NO INFO FROM DISPATCH; A POOR PRINTOUT OF THE WX; AND ONLY 1 ALTERNATE; WE DID NOT QUESTION THE 6 SM VISIBILITY ON THE MAIN BODY OF THE TAF. ACCORDING TO DISPATCH IT WAS A 0 SM VISIBILITY WHICH WAS HARD TO MAKE OUT ON THE PAPERWORK. A LOT OF STATIONS NEED BETTER PRINTERS AND DARKER INK. THE RELEASES CAN BE HARD TO READ. BETTER COM BTWN THE DISPATCHERS AND CREW IN BAD WX WOULD ALSO INCREASE SAFETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.