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Flight crew of MD80 took off from pwm below minimum RVR for conditions. Misinterped 'cl' as centerline markings vice centerline lights.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 587136 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200307 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pwm.airport |
| State Reference | ME |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Fog |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : takeoff roll |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 587136 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3600 |
| ASRS Report | 586975 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On taxi out at pwm ground control advised us that RVR was fluctuating between 1000 ft and 1600 ft. We looked at our operation specifications to determine what we needed (equipment) for the reporter RVR. We determined that we could take off with an RVR of 1000 ft if we had 'cl.' we erroneously determined that 'cl' meant centerline markings. After takeoff we discovered that 'cl' means centerline lights. Contributing factors were: 1) a desire to get the full flight out and our passenger to their destination, so they could get to their connecting flts. We saw in the operation specifications what we thought we wanted to see and took off. 2) the abbreviation 'cl' we took to mean centerline markings. The chart we use to determine takeoff minimums is used very rarely. We were not familiar with the abbreviations on the chart. If 'cl' were spelled out as 'centerline lights' we would not have departed. Abbreviations are used too often in aviation which makes certain written material seem ambiguous and open to interpretation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW OF MD80 TOOK OFF FROM PWM BELOW MINIMUM RVR FOR CONDITIONS. MISINTERPED 'CL' AS CTRLINE MARKINGS VICE CTRLINE LIGHTS.
Narrative: ON TAXI OUT AT PWM GND CTL ADVISED US THAT RVR WAS FLUCTUATING BTWN 1000 FT AND 1600 FT. WE LOOKED AT OUR OP SPECS TO DETERMINE WHAT WE NEEDED (EQUIP) FOR THE RPTR RVR. WE DETERMINED THAT WE COULD TAKE OFF WITH AN RVR OF 1000 FT IF WE HAD 'CL.' WE ERRONEOUSLY DETERMINED THAT 'CL' MEANT CTRLINE MARKINGS. AFTER TKOF WE DISCOVERED THAT 'CL' MEANS CTRLINE LIGHTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: 1) A DESIRE TO GET THE FULL FLT OUT AND OUR PAX TO THEIR DEST, SO THEY COULD GET TO THEIR CONNECTING FLTS. WE SAW IN THE OP SPECS WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WANTED TO SEE AND TOOK OFF. 2) THE ABBREVIATION 'CL' WE TOOK TO MEAN CTRLINE MARKINGS. THE CHART WE USE TO DETERMINE TKOF MINIMUMS IS USED VERY RARELY. WE WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ABBREVIATIONS ON THE CHART. IF 'CL' WERE SPELLED OUT AS 'CTRLINE LIGHTS' WE WOULD NOT HAVE DEPARTED. ABBREVIATIONS ARE USED TOO OFTEN IN AVIATION WHICH MAKES CERTAIN WRITTEN MATERIAL SEEM AMBIGUOUS AND OPEN TO INTERP.
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.