Narrative:

Departing jfk, the fog that had earlier restr the airport appeared to be gone. ATIS reported several mi visibility and no ceiling. As we taxied, we noticed a few wisps of fog but the visibility appeared good and takeoff and landing operations were being conducted on several runways. The aircraft ahead of us was cleared for takeoff and departed. I believe there was no mention of restrs to visibility to that aircraft. We could see that aircraft climbing out on the departure as we moved into position on the runway. Our takeoff clearance, roughly 1 min later, was similar to the following: '(call sign), RVR XXXX, touchdown XXXX, mid XXXX, rollout, cleared for takeoff runway 31L. The first 2 RVR values were in the 3000-5000 ft range. I did not clearly hear the rollout RVR due to a radio distortion or a distraction. The dynamics of the situation caused me to assume that the RVR values were given as an advisory only. I had no reason to suspect that RVR was near minimums or even restricting. 'Dynamics' meaning, we had heard no previous reports of restr visibility, the airport appeared to be operating unrestr, we had the previous aircraft in sight, and the manner in which the controller gave us clearance for takeoff in the same breath as the RVR report. During takeoff, the visibility was good until approaching rotation, then decreased rapidly. 100 ft AGL we were in VMC. I do not know if the rollout RVR was above the minimums and am concerned by our lack of awareness of the situation. Contributing factors: the previously maintained 'appearances' of good WX, the controller's method of delivery of the RVR values with takeoff clearance, the captain's delay of final checklists until entering the runway caused a division of attention between preparation for takeoff and radio. Pilots are not given time to absorb subtle information. There is an expectation that the aircraft will begin movement as the takeoff clearance is received. Therefore, when WX changes, the controller must make more effort to ensure the pilot has received the information. The WX should be given in a separate transmission, not with a clearance. A 'check WX minimums' call similar to the 'check density altitude' callout may be helpful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FO DEPARTS BELOW TKOF MINIMUMS.

Narrative: DEPARTING JFK, THE FOG THAT HAD EARLIER RESTR THE ARPT APPEARED TO BE GONE. ATIS RPTED SEVERAL MI VISIBILITY AND NO CEILING. AS WE TAXIED, WE NOTICED A FEW WISPS OF FOG BUT THE VISIBILITY APPEARED GOOD AND TKOF AND LNDG OPS WERE BEING CONDUCTED ON SEVERAL RWYS. THE ACFT AHEAD OF US WAS CLRED FOR TKOF AND DEPARTED. I BELIEVE THERE WAS NO MENTION OF RESTRS TO VISIBILITY TO THAT ACFT. WE COULD SEE THAT ACFT CLBING OUT ON THE DEP AS WE MOVED INTO POS ON THE RWY. OUR TKOF CLRNC, ROUGHLY 1 MIN LATER, WAS SIMILAR TO THE FOLLOWING: '(CALL SIGN), RVR XXXX, TOUCHDOWN XXXX, MID XXXX, ROLLOUT, CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 31L. THE FIRST 2 RVR VALUES WERE IN THE 3000-5000 FT RANGE. I DID NOT CLRLY HEAR THE ROLLOUT RVR DUE TO A RADIO DISTORTION OR A DISTR. THE DYNAMICS OF THE SIT CAUSED ME TO ASSUME THAT THE RVR VALUES WERE GIVEN AS AN ADVISORY ONLY. I HAD NO REASON TO SUSPECT THAT RVR WAS NEAR MINIMUMS OR EVEN RESTRICTING. 'DYNAMICS' MEANING, WE HAD HEARD NO PREVIOUS RPTS OF RESTR VISIBILITY, THE ARPT APPEARED TO BE OPERATING UNRESTR, WE HAD THE PREVIOUS ACFT IN SIGHT, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THE CTLR GAVE US CLRNC FOR TKOF IN THE SAME BREATH AS THE RVR RPT. DURING TKOF, THE VISIBILITY WAS GOOD UNTIL APCHING ROTATION, THEN DECREASED RAPIDLY. 100 FT AGL WE WERE IN VMC. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE ROLLOUT RVR WAS ABOVE THE MINIMUMS AND AM CONCERNED BY OUR LACK OF AWARENESS OF THE SIT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THE PREVIOUSLY MAINTAINED 'APPEARANCES' OF GOOD WX, THE CTLR'S METHOD OF DELIVERY OF THE RVR VALUES WITH TKOF CLRNC, THE CAPT'S DELAY OF FINAL CHKLISTS UNTIL ENTERING THE RWY CAUSED A DIVISION OF ATTN BTWN PREPARATION FOR TKOF AND RADIO. PLTS ARE NOT GIVEN TIME TO ABSORB SUBTLE INFO. THERE IS AN EXPECTATION THAT THE ACFT WILL BEGIN MOVEMENT AS THE TKOF CLRNC IS RECEIVED. THEREFORE, WHEN WX CHANGES, THE CTLR MUST MAKE MORE EFFORT TO ENSURE THE PLT HAS RECEIVED THE INFO. THE WX SHOULD BE GIVEN IN A SEPARATE XMISSION, NOT WITH A CLRNC. A 'CHK WX MINIMUMS' CALL SIMILAR TO THE 'CHK DENSITY ALT' CALLOUT MAY BE HELPFUL.

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.