Captain of an light transport atx failed to file an alternate airport for an IFR flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	277745
Time
Date	199407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fat
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 550
ASRS Report	277745
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a scheduled flight from fresno to los angeles, I accepted a dispatch release without an alternate listed. The forecast WX for los angeles was okay for no alternate. I accidentally misread the current WX in los angeles. It alone required an alternate. The error was discovered in-flight and the flight was completed without incident in los angeles. A visual approach was performed. I was in error in misreading the current WX. I believe I was influenced in this error by the dispatch release which also listed no alternate required. Flight control for our company has taken to issuing multiple releases with up to 3 consecutive flts on them. The WX for the 3RD flight can be different at the time of the flight then it was when the release was issued. As a new captain I need to be aware of this when I receive multiple releases.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN LTT ATX FAILED TO FILE AN ALTERNATE ARPT FOR AN IFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: ON A SCHEDULED FLT FROM FRESNO TO LOS ANGELES, I ACCEPTED A DISPATCH RELEASE WITHOUT AN ALTERNATE LISTED. THE FORECAST WX FOR LOS ANGELES WAS OKAY FOR NO ALTERNATE. I ACCIDENTALLY MISREAD THE CURRENT WX IN LOS ANGELES. IT ALONE REQUIRED AN ALTERNATE. THE ERROR WAS DISCOVERED INFLT AND THE FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT IN LOS ANGELES. A VISUAL APCH WAS PERFORMED. I WAS IN ERROR IN MISREADING THE CURRENT WX. I BELIEVE I WAS INFLUENCED IN THIS ERROR BY THE DISPATCH RELEASE WHICH ALSO LISTED NO ALTERNATE REQUIRED. FLT CTL FOR OUR COMPANY HAS TAKEN TO ISSUING MULTIPLE RELEASES WITH UP TO 3 CONSECUTIVE FLTS ON THEM. THE WX FOR THE 3RD FLT CAN BE DIFFERENT AT THE TIME OF THE FLT THEN IT WAS WHEN THE RELEASE WAS ISSUED. AS A NEW CAPT I NEED TO BE AWARE OF THIS WHEN I RECEIVE MULTIPLE RELEASES.

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.