B737-500 crew had takeoff below minimums at pit.

Attributes
ACN	515731
Time
Date	200106
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : buf.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 11100 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	515731
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Pit tower reported runway 10C RVR as 500 ft touchdown, 600 ft mid, 500 ft rollout. Commercial chart 20-9 page listed air carrier visibility minimums as 500 ft touchdown, 500 ft mid, 500 ft rollout. Knowing our operations specifications permitted lower than standard takeoff minimums, I accepted the takeoff clearance and departed uneventfully. Later examination of company operations manual showed visibility minimums on specific runway commercial page to be approved, however, 600 ft was lowest detail information in manual. I knew the change to commercial information was recent regarding change from 600 ft to 500 ft. However, I was unsure if company operations specifications have changed or if change of FAA docs permitted acrs to change immediately to 500 ft. Clarification or coordination of revisions to commercial information and company operations manual would eliminate this discrepancy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-500 CREW HAD TKOF BELOW MINIMUMS AT PIT.

Narrative: PIT TWR RPTED RWY 10C RVR AS 500 FT TOUCHDOWN, 600 FT MID, 500 FT ROLLOUT. COMMERCIAL CHART 20-9 PAGE LISTED ACR VISIBILITY MINIMUMS AS 500 FT TOUCHDOWN, 500 FT MID, 500 FT ROLLOUT. KNOWING OUR OPS SPECS PERMITTED LOWER THAN STANDARD TKOF MINIMUMS, I ACCEPTED THE TKOF CLRNC AND DEPARTED UNEVENTFULLY. LATER EXAMINATION OF COMPANY OPS MANUAL SHOWED VISIBILITY MINIMUMS ON SPECIFIC RWY COMMERCIAL PAGE TO BE APPROVED, HOWEVER, 600 FT WAS LOWEST DETAIL INFO IN MANUAL. I KNEW THE CHANGE TO COMMERCIAL INFO WAS RECENT REGARDING CHANGE FROM 600 FT TO 500 FT. HOWEVER, I WAS UNSURE IF COMPANY OPS SPECS HAVE CHANGED OR IF CHANGE OF FAA DOCS PERMITTED ACRS TO CHANGE IMMEDIATELY TO 500 FT. CLARIFICATION OR COORD OF REVISIONS TO COMMERCIAL INFO AND COMPANY OPS MANUAL WOULD ELIMINATE THIS DISCREPANCY.

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.