Narrative:

On jan/xa/99, I dispatched flight abcd to den. On jan/xb/99 I was told that the forecast for den was amended at XA03 and came over my printer at XA14 (about 20 mins before I went home) to where den needed an alternate. I did not see this amended forecast. If I had, the flight would have had an alternate. Flight abcd departed phx at XB34 without an alternate. The flight diverted to cos. This flight would have diverted even if it had an alternate. The bottom line is the flight left phx without an alternate when the amended forecast was calling for one. The forecast was 110 degrees at 10 KTS, 3 SM broken, overcast 005, the flight ETA was XK21Z. The flight was about 1/2 hour out when den went down to 1/4 SM and stayed there for almost 8 hours. I am not making an excuse, but when the amendment came out, I was calling 2 other flts. I had 2 flts going to sac that were holding for the WX to improve. Sac was now at landing minimums, so I was on the phone and radio telling these 2 flts they could now leave and amending their release time and giving the WX. After that, I was trying to get my flight track updated. It was now about XB35 and my relief was here. I gave him his briefing and left for home about XB45-XB50. The reason my relief did not catch it I don't know. I know it took him about 15 mins just to get all his programs up and running. I know this because that's how long it takes me in the morning. By now, it only left 34 mins before the flight left. Why the flight crew did not catch it I also do not know. What I do know is 4 people missed the amended forecast. This should tell us something about the workload at air carrier dispatch.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DISPATCHER DID NOT ADD ALTERNATES WHEN THE AMENDED TERMINAL WX FORECAST CALLED FOR ONE.

Narrative: ON JAN/XA/99, I DISPATCHED FLT ABCD TO DEN. ON JAN/XB/99 I WAS TOLD THAT THE FORECAST FOR DEN WAS AMENDED AT XA03 AND CAME OVER MY PRINTER AT XA14 (ABOUT 20 MINS BEFORE I WENT HOME) TO WHERE DEN NEEDED AN ALTERNATE. I DID NOT SEE THIS AMENDED FORECAST. IF I HAD, THE FLT WOULD HAVE HAD AN ALTERNATE. FLT ABCD DEPARTED PHX AT XB34 WITHOUT AN ALTERNATE. THE FLT DIVERTED TO COS. THIS FLT WOULD HAVE DIVERTED EVEN IF IT HAD AN ALTERNATE. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE FLT LEFT PHX WITHOUT AN ALTERNATE WHEN THE AMENDED FORECAST WAS CALLING FOR ONE. THE FORECAST WAS 110 DEGS AT 10 KTS, 3 SM BROKEN, OVCST 005, THE FLT ETA WAS XK21Z. THE FLT WAS ABOUT 1/2 HR OUT WHEN DEN WENT DOWN TO 1/4 SM AND STAYED THERE FOR ALMOST 8 HRS. I AM NOT MAKING AN EXCUSE, BUT WHEN THE AMENDMENT CAME OUT, I WAS CALLING 2 OTHER FLTS. I HAD 2 FLTS GOING TO SAC THAT WERE HOLDING FOR THE WX TO IMPROVE. SAC WAS NOW AT LNDG MINIMUMS, SO I WAS ON THE PHONE AND RADIO TELLING THESE 2 FLTS THEY COULD NOW LEAVE AND AMENDING THEIR RELEASE TIME AND GIVING THE WX. AFTER THAT, I WAS TRYING TO GET MY FLT TRACK UPDATED. IT WAS NOW ABOUT XB35 AND MY RELIEF WAS HERE. I GAVE HIM HIS BRIEFING AND LEFT FOR HOME ABOUT XB45-XB50. THE REASON MY RELIEF DID NOT CATCH IT I DON'T KNOW. I KNOW IT TOOK HIM ABOUT 15 MINS JUST TO GET ALL HIS PROGRAMS UP AND RUNNING. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE THAT'S HOW LONG IT TAKES ME IN THE MORNING. BY NOW, IT ONLY LEFT 34 MINS BEFORE THE FLT LEFT. WHY THE FLC DID NOT CATCH IT I ALSO DO NOT KNOW. WHAT I DO KNOW IS 4 PEOPLE MISSED THE AMENDED FORECAST. THIS SHOULD TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT THE WORKLOAD AT ACR 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.