Air carrier dispatcher fails to account for MEL fuel in proper documentary SOP.

Attributes
ACN	438193
Time
Date	199905
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	438193
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : 969
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The flight was dfw-iad, with an MEL against aircraft r-hand engine approach idle control system inoperative. I had looked up the MEL and seen that it required the use of flaps. In apr/99 the load agent had planned flaps 6 degrees. I called and asked for flaps 11 degrees to be fixed. She said that she would do that. I waited about 5 mins and she still had not planned flaps 11 degrees. She was still planning flaps 6 degrees. I then sent the load agent a message asking for the update on flaps 11 degrees. I waited some more. Still nothing. At 65 mins prior to scheduled departure, the flaps still had not been changed. In the interim I had made a file with the remarks I had wanted to put in the flight plan in a release file. When the flaps were finally changed, I put the remarks in the release and sent it out. I had, during this time, forgotten to add the 500 pounds of required additional fuel. The flight did have 2150 pounds of extra holding fuel that would accommodate this requirement, however, I did not specify it in the fuel column or the additional fuel column.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DISPATCHER FAILS TO ACCOUNT FOR MEL FUEL IN PROPER DOCUMENTARY SOP.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS DFW-IAD, WITH AN MEL AGAINST ACFT R-HAND ENG APCH IDLE CTL SYS INOP. I HAD LOOKED UP THE MEL AND SEEN THAT IT REQUIRED THE USE OF FLAPS. IN APR/99 THE LOAD AGENT HAD PLANNED FLAPS 6 DEGS. I CALLED AND ASKED FOR FLAPS 11 DEGS TO BE FIXED. SHE SAID THAT SHE WOULD DO THAT. I WAITED ABOUT 5 MINS AND SHE STILL HAD NOT PLANNED FLAPS 11 DEGS. SHE WAS STILL PLANNING FLAPS 6 DEGS. I THEN SENT THE LOAD AGENT A MESSAGE ASKING FOR THE UPDATE ON FLAPS 11 DEGS. I WAITED SOME MORE. STILL NOTHING. AT 65 MINS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED DEP, THE FLAPS STILL HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED. IN THE INTERIM I HAD MADE A FILE WITH THE REMARKS I HAD WANTED TO PUT IN THE FLT PLAN IN A RELEASE FILE. WHEN THE FLAPS WERE FINALLY CHANGED, I PUT THE REMARKS IN THE RELEASE AND SENT IT OUT. I HAD, DURING THIS TIME, FORGOTTEN TO ADD THE 500 LBS OF REQUIRED ADDITIONAL FUEL. THE FLT DID HAVE 2150 LBS OF EXTRA HOLDING FUEL THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE THIS REQUIREMENT, HOWEVER, I DID NOT SPECIFY IT IN THE FUEL COLUMN OR THE ADDITIONAL FUEL COLUMN.

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.