Narrative:

Climb out runway 35L, takeoff. FAA inspector was on board. His credentials were checked. Issued takeoff clearance while taxiing to #1 position on taxiway. Other aircraft departed before us on same runway. Turned onto runway and started to apply takeoff power, but could not see previous departure. Then noted previous aircraft still on runway, at rotation, and continued our takeoff. At approximately 800 ft, had not called for half rate yet. Tower issued, 'do you see previous aircraft in front of you.' we responded 'negative.' tower came back with additional calls for us to accept visual clearance from previous aircraft. I refused stating, 'unable visual.' controller sounded upset that we would not accept visual. Flight continued uneventfully to landing at ict. Flight was at night. Our takeoff clearance was issued while the previous aircraft was still on the runway. It is extremely difficult to see another aircraft, at night, at the far end of the runway on a takeoff roll. The wingtip lights blend with the white runway edge lights. After takeoff, we had no pre-notification of the coming visual request. Is this a legal request by the controller? This distraction occurred during a critical phase of flight. Should we accept this, especially at night? The distraction caused the first officer to miss the half rate and I selected it myself, telling him to get back into the cockpit. What are the limits of this type of visual clearance? Where does cockpit responsibility for separation end?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION BTWN 2 ACR FLTS ON SUCCESSIVE TKOFS FROM SAME RWY DURING A NIGHT OP AT DFW, TX.

Narrative: CLBOUT RWY 35L, TKOF. FAA INSPECTOR WAS ON BOARD. HIS CREDENTIALS WERE CHKED. ISSUED TKOF CLRNC WHILE TAXIING TO #1 POS ON TXWY. OTHER ACFT DEPARTED BEFORE US ON SAME RWY. TURNED ONTO RWY AND STARTED TO APPLY TKOF PWR, BUT COULD NOT SEE PREVIOUS DEP. THEN NOTED PREVIOUS ACFT STILL ON RWY, AT ROTATION, AND CONTINUED OUR TKOF. AT APPROX 800 FT, HAD NOT CALLED FOR HALF RATE YET. TWR ISSUED, 'DO YOU SEE PREVIOUS ACFT IN FRONT OF YOU.' WE RESPONDED 'NEGATIVE.' TWR CAME BACK WITH ADDITIONAL CALLS FOR US TO ACCEPT VISUAL CLRNC FROM PREVIOUS ACFT. I REFUSED STATING, 'UNABLE VISUAL.' CTLR SOUNDED UPSET THAT WE WOULD NOT ACCEPT VISUAL. FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO LNDG AT ICT. FLT WAS AT NIGHT. OUR TKOF CLRNC WAS ISSUED WHILE THE PREVIOUS ACFT WAS STILL ON THE RWY. IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE ANOTHER ACFT, AT NIGHT, AT THE FAR END OF THE RWY ON A TKOF ROLL. THE WINGTIP LIGHTS BLEND WITH THE WHITE RWY EDGE LIGHTS. AFTER TKOF, WE HAD NO PRE-NOTIFICATION OF THE COMING VISUAL REQUEST. IS THIS A LEGAL REQUEST BY THE CTLR? THIS DISTR OCCURRED DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. SHOULD WE ACCEPT THIS, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT? THE DISTR CAUSED THE FO TO MISS THE HALF RATE AND I SELECTED IT MYSELF, TELLING HIM TO GET BACK INTO THE COCKPIT. WHAT ARE THE LIMITS OF THIS TYPE OF VISUAL CLRNC? WHERE DOES COCKPIT RESPONSIBILITY FOR SEPARATION END?

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.