Air carrier medium large transport takeoff in RVR reported below runway mins for takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	195551
Time
Date	199111
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mci
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	195551
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Had been monitoring ATIS and tower. Fog was forming at dawn. Runway 19 touchdown RVR was 6000 plus, departure was 1800 V 1200. Takeoff mins were 6,6,6. When we called to taxi, we were given runway 9, RVR 1800. Mins are 1600. A turboprop commuter was landing as we approached the hold short. When the commuter taxied clear, we were told, cleared for takeoff, RVR 1200. I knew the mins for 19 and had planned to use that runway. Runway 9 caught me by surprise, it was a shorter taxi and got us going in the right direction. I asked the first officer to check takeoff mins. I should have stopped and checked them myself. We were the first to takeoff on runway 9. The landing airplane apparently disturbed the air enough to change the reading. The fog was very thin, maybe 20 ft thick. It doesn't change the situation. I called the tower on the landline later. They said they don't know what the mins are, especially for the different carriers. The FAA sets the mins. How could they not know? I feel that I could have been set up, given a test and didn't do real well. It was my own fault for not being more aware of mins. This was my first low visibility takeoff this winter. I now feel more up to speed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TKOF IN RVR RPTED BELOW RWY MINS FOR TKOF.

Narrative: HAD BEEN MONITORING ATIS AND TWR. FOG WAS FORMING AT DAWN. RWY 19 TOUCHDOWN RVR WAS 6000 PLUS, DEP WAS 1800 V 1200. TKOF MINS WERE 6,6,6. WHEN WE CALLED TO TAXI, WE WERE GIVEN RWY 9, RVR 1800. MINS ARE 1600. A TURBOPROP COMMUTER WAS LNDG AS WE APCHED THE HOLD SHORT. WHEN THE COMMUTER TAXIED CLR, WE WERE TOLD, CLRED FOR TKOF, RVR 1200. I KNEW THE MINS FOR 19 AND HAD PLANNED TO USE THAT RWY. RWY 9 CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE, IT WAS A SHORTER TAXI AND GOT US GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I ASKED THE FO TO CHK TKOF MINS. I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED AND CHKED THEM MYSELF. WE WERE THE FIRST TO TKOF ON RWY 9. THE LNDG AIRPLANE APPARENTLY DISTURBED THE AIR ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE READING. THE FOG WAS VERY THIN, MAYBE 20 FT THICK. IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE SITUATION. I CALLED THE TWR ON THE LANDLINE LATER. THEY SAID THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MINS ARE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE DIFFERENT CARRIERS. THE FAA SETS THE MINS. HOW COULD THEY NOT KNOW? I FEEL THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN SET UP, GIVEN A TEST AND DIDN'T DO REAL WELL. IT WAS MY OWN FAULT FOR NOT BEING MORE AWARE OF MINS. THIS WAS MY FIRST LOW VISIBILITY TKOF THIS WINTER. I NOW FEEL MORE UP TO SPD.

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.