Narrative:

This was leg 3 of 5 for the day. Arrived at the gate and immediately checked the WX briefing message. Cos was good. No alternate planned nor required. Normal departure from den runway 17R with no delay. Cos landing runway 17L. Flight plan time 18 mins en route. While on vector for approach, so hands up landing card. WX 007 broken, 1 mi visibility. We are 20 mi out about to intercept the localizer, I am flying. Being time compressed the lack of a filed alternate slips my mind. I'm fat on fuel, 19.5 on pushback. We miss the approach. We vector back for another attempt. Pick up light to moderate ice on climb out. WX now reported at 005 broken, 3/4 mi visibility. Miss again, divert back to den. Had so send divert message to dispatch. They acknowledged. Cos WX now reported at 001 overcast, 2400 RVR sn. Still I had not thought about the lack of a filed alternate. I was task saturated and time compressed. I had planned 5 legs that day. Obviously dispatch missed it too, even after they received the divert message.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT FAILED TO FILE ALTERNATE AFTER NOTIFICATION THAT THE DEST ARPT WX HAD GONE DOWN REQUIRING AN ALTERNATE ARPT.

Narrative: THIS WAS LEG 3 OF 5 FOR THE DAY. ARRIVED AT THE GATE AND IMMEDIATELY CHKED THE WX BRIEFING MESSAGE. COS WAS GOOD. NO ALTERNATE PLANNED NOR REQUIRED. NORMAL DEP FROM DEN RWY 17R WITH NO DELAY. COS LNDG RWY 17L. FLT PLAN TIME 18 MINS ENRTE. WHILE ON VECTOR FOR APCH, SO HANDS UP LNDG CARD. WX 007 BROKEN, 1 MI VISIBILITY. WE ARE 20 MI OUT ABOUT TO INTERCEPT THE LOC, I AM FLYING. BEING TIME COMPRESSED THE LACK OF A FILED ALTERNATE SLIPS MY MIND. I'M FAT ON FUEL, 19.5 ON PUSHBACK. WE MISS THE APCH. WE VECTOR BACK FOR ANOTHER ATTEMPT. PICK UP LIGHT TO MODERATE ICE ON CLBOUT. WX NOW RPTED AT 005 BROKEN, 3/4 MI VISIBILITY. MISS AGAIN, DIVERT BACK TO DEN. HAD SO SEND DIVERT MESSAGE TO DISPATCH. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED. COS WX NOW RPTED AT 001 OVCST, 2400 RVR SN. STILL I HAD NOT THOUGHT ABOUT THE LACK OF A FILED ALTERNATE. I WAS TASK SATURATED AND TIME COMPRESSED. I HAD PLANNED 5 LEGS THAT DAY. OBVIOUSLY DISPATCH MISSED IT TOO, EVEN AFTER THEY RECEIVED THE DIVERT MESSAGE.

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.