Narrative:

After takeoff, during our calling-in of our off-times, we were advised by operations to call dispatch regarding new WX. We called dispatch, who told us that the forecast for our destination had been amended (approximately 25 mins prior to our push off the gate). Since both current and forecast were now below landing minimums, we were illegal for dispatch. Dispatcher admitted misreading the amended WX initially and by the time he caught his mistake, we were already airborne. Flight continued on towards destination and ended up diverting due to destination WX below minimums for landing. This dispatcher has been an on-going source of concern in my mind and has consistently demonstrated a lack of attention to detail and a lack of situational awareness necessary to conduct a safe operation. If dispatcher had simply called us (or operations) when the WX forecast amended, we could have caught his error for him. ACARS would also have allowed for more timely communication and thus a safer operation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT PIC ASSAILS THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE DISPATCHER ON DUTY DURING THE PIC'S DEP FROM LAS, STATING THAT THEY WERE DISPATCHED ILLEGALLY. DISPATCHER HAD RECEIVED AND MISREAD THE AMENDED WX FORECAST FOR FLT'S DEST ARPT 25 MINS PRIOR TO PUSHBACK. DISPATCHER CALLED THE FLT DURING CLB WITH THE AMENDED WX.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, DURING OUR CALLING-IN OF OUR OFF-TIMES, WE WERE ADVISED BY OPS TO CALL DISPATCH REGARDING NEW WX. WE CALLED DISPATCH, WHO TOLD US THAT THE FORECAST FOR OUR DEST HAD BEEN AMENDED (APPROX 25 MINS PRIOR TO OUR PUSH OFF THE GATE). SINCE BOTH CURRENT AND FORECAST WERE NOW BELOW LNDG MINIMUMS, WE WERE ILLEGAL FOR DISPATCH. DISPATCHER ADMITTED MISREADING THE AMENDED WX INITIALLY AND BY THE TIME HE CAUGHT HIS MISTAKE, WE WERE ALREADY AIRBORNE. FLT CONTINUED ON TOWARDS DEST AND ENDED UP DIVERTING DUE TO DEST WX BELOW MINIMUMS FOR LNDG. THIS DISPATCHER HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING SOURCE OF CONCERN IN MY MIND AND HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED A LACK OF ATTN TO DETAIL AND A LACK OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS NECESSARY TO CONDUCT A SAFE OP. IF DISPATCHER HAD SIMPLY CALLED US (OR OPS) WHEN THE WX FORECAST AMENDED, WE COULD HAVE CAUGHT HIS ERROR FOR HIM. ACARS WOULD ALSO HAVE ALLOWED FOR MORE TIMELY COM AND THUS A SAFER OP.

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.