Narrative:

In sum: an air carrier mdt took off from dsm with 1400 ft RVR and 1/4 mi visibility. The crew reviewed its operations manual and overlooked the fact that RVR is controling when installed. They were given takeoff clearance. Upon reporting to work the next day, they were informed that a violation was pending against them. This crew could have gone to another runway for takeoff which did not have RVR equipment. This would have been legal. Supplemental information from acn 246052: I feel that the wording and training in this critical area needs to be crystal clear to everyone that operates under these guidelines. As mentioned in the narrative, I observed visibility better than that required for takeoff. 2 flts were cleared from runway 31R to runway 23 for takeoff after our flight accepted takeoff clearance. I feel that this could be avoided by simply leaving out the carrot, so to speak, of 1/4 mi visibility when the RVR is below airport minimums for that runway (31R/13L).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MDT TOOK OFF BELOW MINIMUMS. A VIOLATION IS PENDING. THE CREW MISREAD THEIR OPS MANUAL.

Narrative: IN SUM: AN ACR MDT TOOK OFF FROM DSM WITH 1400 FT RVR AND 1/4 MI VISIBILITY. THE CREW REVIEWED ITS OPS MANUAL AND OVERLOOKED THE FACT THAT RVR IS CTLING WHEN INSTALLED. THEY WERE GIVEN TKOF CLRNC. UPON RPTING TO WORK THE NEXT DAY, THEY WERE INFORMED THAT A VIOLATION WAS PENDING AGAINST THEM. THIS CREW COULD HAVE GONE TO ANOTHER RWY FOR TKOF WHICH DID NOT HAVE RVR EQUIP. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN LEGAL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 246052: I FEEL THAT THE WORDING AND TRAINING IN THIS CRITICAL AREA NEEDS TO BE CRYSTAL CLR TO EVERYONE THAT OPERATES UNDER THESE GUIDELINES. AS MENTIONED IN THE NARRATIVE, I OBSERVED VISIBILITY BETTER THAN THAT REQUIRED FOR TKOF. 2 FLTS WERE CLRED FROM RWY 31R TO RWY 23 FOR TKOF AFTER OUR FLT ACCEPTED TKOF CLRNC. I FEEL THAT THIS COULD BE AVOIDED BY SIMPLY LEAVING OUT THE CARROT, SO TO SPEAK, OF 1/4 MI VISIBILITY WHEN THE RVR IS BELOW ARPT MINIMUMS FOR THAT RWY (31R/13L).

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.