Charter small transport made a takeoff in WX reporter below airport minimums for takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	179370
Time
Date	199105
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : unv
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pit
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 111 flight time total : 2913 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	179370
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 93 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 1900
ASRS Report	179560
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 none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Deviation from takeoff minimums. We departed runway 24 at unv. Standard takeoff minimums are 1 mi. Adequate visibility reference is 1/4 mi. Our operation specifications allow us to use lower than standard takeoff minimums. In this particular case, 1/4 mi is authority/authorized. We estimated our takeoff visibility to be 1/4 mi, so we took off and continued our flight. After further investigation, we found out the WX was reported at 1/8 mi by a WX observer. To avoid this in the future, we need to make use of all available resources. Supplemental information from acn 179560: we were not aware that WX reporting was available. We found out that they were reporting 1/8 mi. We need to pay closer attention to the hours of operation of these part-time WX observers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHARTER SMT MADE A TKOF IN WX REPORTER BELOW ARPT MINIMUMS FOR TKOF.

Narrative: DEVIATION FROM TKOF MINIMUMS. WE DEPARTED RWY 24 AT UNV. STANDARD TKOF MINIMUMS ARE 1 MI. ADEQUATE VIS REF IS 1/4 MI. OUR OPERATION SPECS ALLOW US TO USE LOWER THAN STANDARD TKOF MINIMUMS. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, 1/4 MI IS AUTH. WE ESTIMATED OUR TKOF VISIBILITY TO BE 1/4 MI, SO WE TOOK OFF AND CONTINUED OUR FLT. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, WE FOUND OUT THE WX WAS RPTED AT 1/8 MI BY A WX OBSERVER. TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE, WE NEED TO MAKE USE OF ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 179560: WE WERE NOT AWARE THAT WX RPTING WAS AVAILABLE. WE FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE RPTING 1/8 MI. WE NEED TO PAY CLOSER ATTN TO THE HRS OF OPERATION OF THESE PART-TIME WX OBSERVERS.

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.