Narrative:

Flight (msy-phl) was 3 hours 54 mins late getting into phl due to ground hold at msy. Another aircraft was used for the continuation of flight (phl-bos). The previous dispatcher had knowledge of the situation and had released both flts. I took over for him at approximately XX25 local and was not aware of the problem until approximately X?30 local. The flight out of phl should have been renumbered since the flight from msy had the same flight #. It was a very busy shift due to east coast WX and traffic problems. The previous dispatcher had many problems to contend with. I was surprised the crew or operations people did not catch the error. No one knew until the flight from phl-bos landed. This problem has occurred before on a very busy night. It is very difficult when handling a large # of flts to notice that type of error, especially when another dispatcher is handling the next leg of flight. To prevent a recurrence we must take the time to check every late flight to see if an aircraft substitution has been made.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 OPERATING FLTS SAME DAY WITH SAME FLT #'S DUE TO TKOF DELAY ON ORIGINATION FLT.

Narrative: FLT (MSY-PHL) WAS 3 HRS 54 MINS LATE GETTING INTO PHL DUE TO GND HOLD AT MSY. ANOTHER ACFT WAS USED FOR THE CONTINUATION OF FLT (PHL-BOS). THE PREVIOUS DISPATCHER HAD KNOWLEDGE OF THE SITUATION AND HAD RELEASED BOTH FLTS. I TOOK OVER FOR HIM AT APPROX XX25 LCL AND WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM UNTIL APPROX X?30 LCL. THE FLT OUT OF PHL SHOULD HAVE BEEN RENUMBERED SINCE THE FLT FROM MSY HAD THE SAME FLT #. IT WAS A VERY BUSY SHIFT DUE TO EAST COAST WX AND TFC PROBLEMS. THE PREVIOUS DISPATCHER HAD MANY PROBLEMS TO CONTEND WITH. I WAS SURPRISED THE CREW OR OPS PEOPLE DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR. NO ONE KNEW UNTIL THE FLT FROM PHL-BOS LANDED. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED BEFORE ON A VERY BUSY NIGHT. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT WHEN HANDLING A LARGE # OF FLTS TO NOTICE THAT TYPE OF ERROR, ESPECIALLY WHEN ANOTHER DISPATCHER IS HANDLING THE NEXT LEG OF FLT. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE WE MUST TAKE THE TIME TO CHK EVERY LATE FLT TO SEE IF AN ACFT SUBSTITUTION HAS BEEN MADE.

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.