Narrative:

Just prior to engine start ground advised us of a rerte for WX (thunderstorms). This rerte took us west of planned route. Original route was msp to stl, pretty much direct. New route was west then south. After getting the new route the captain called dispatch. Dispatch insisted the WX had already passed and we would get a turn to the south shortly after takeoff. The dispatcher insisted there was sufficient fuel (he was a bit on the aggressive side). He said additional fuel was not needed: however, if the captain wanted to take a delay for more fuel it was 'ok.' the captain said we had 2200 pounds of contingency fuel and we probably won't have to fly the rerte. After departure ATC did not turn us south through several openings in the line of thunderstorms as we requested. We had to deviate even further west off course: perhaps due to other inbounds to msp. It should be noted that the captain wanted company dispatch to refigure our new route of distance for fuel. Dispatch looked at the WX radar and talked to ATC and convinced the captain there was sufficient fuel. At our 1ST point on our fuel check we both already knew and we decided we must divert to dsm. The 1ST real crew coordination we had was when we both started to figure the fuel remaining and required. The captain relied too much on dispatch even though they have the most up-to-date information. Me, the first officer, wasn't in the loop and should have been. Poor crew coordination. Supplemental information from acn 283084: I (captain) had discussed the possible rerte with our company dispatch and with ATC and was convinced that additional fuel should not be needed (prior to leaving ramp at msp airport). At that time (still on ground, at gate, prior to department) our dispatch talked to ATC (msp) and checked the WX radar, and convinced me that after departure there would be very little deviating from our original planned route. In the future, I would plan on additional fuel for any potential rerte (for this kind of situation) but still pooling all available resources with dispatch.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE PERFORMED BY DC-9 CREW AFTER FUEL REQUIRED REMAINING IS DEEMED INADEQUATE FOR REST OF FLT.

Narrative: JUST PRIOR TO ENG START GND ADVISED US OF A RERTE FOR WX (TSTMS). THIS RERTE TOOK US W OF PLANNED RTE. ORIGINAL RTE WAS MSP TO STL, PRETTY MUCH DIRECT. NEW RTE WAS W THEN S. AFTER GETTING THE NEW RTE THE CAPT CALLED DISPATCH. DISPATCH INSISTED THE WX HAD ALREADY PASSED AND WE WOULD GET A TURN TO THE S SHORTLY AFTER TKOF. THE DISPATCHER INSISTED THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL (HE WAS A BIT ON THE AGGRESSIVE SIDE). HE SAID ADDITIONAL FUEL WAS NOT NEEDED: HOWEVER, IF THE CAPT WANTED TO TAKE A DELAY FOR MORE FUEL IT WAS 'OK.' THE CAPT SAID WE HAD 2200 LBS OF CONTINGENCY FUEL AND WE PROBABLY WON'T HAVE TO FLY THE RERTE. AFTER DEP ATC DID NOT TURN US S THROUGH SEVERAL OPENINGS IN THE LINE OF TSTMS AS WE REQUESTED. WE HAD TO DEVIATE EVEN FURTHER W OFF COURSE: PERHAPS DUE TO OTHER INBOUNDS TO MSP. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE CAPT WANTED COMPANY DISPATCH TO REFIGURE OUR NEW RTE OF DISTANCE FOR FUEL. DISPATCH LOOKED AT THE WX RADAR AND TALKED TO ATC AND CONVINCED THE CAPT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL. AT OUR 1ST POINT ON OUR FUEL CHK WE BOTH ALREADY KNEW AND WE DECIDED WE MUST DIVERT TO DSM. THE 1ST REAL CREW COORD WE HAD WAS WHEN WE BOTH STARTED TO FIGURE THE FUEL REMAINING AND REQUIRED. THE CAPT RELIED TOO MUCH ON DISPATCH EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFO. ME, THE FO, WASN'T IN THE LOOP AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN. POOR CREW COORD. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 283084: I (CAPT) HAD DISCUSSED THE POSSIBLE RERTE WITH OUR COMPANY DISPATCH AND WITH ATC AND WAS CONVINCED THAT ADDITIONAL FUEL SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED (PRIOR TO LEAVING RAMP AT MSP ARPT). AT THAT TIME (STILL ON GND, AT GATE, PRIOR TO DEPT) OUR DISPATCH TALKED TO ATC (MSP) AND CHKED THE WX RADAR, AND CONVINCED ME THAT AFTER DEP THERE WOULD BE VERY LITTLE DEVIATING FROM OUR ORIGINAL PLANNED RTE. IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD PLAN ON ADDITIONAL FUEL FOR ANY POTENTIAL RERTE (FOR THIS KIND OF SIT) BUT STILL POOLING ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES WITH DISPATCH.

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.