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A dispatcher refuses to dispatch an ATR72 flight with inoperative propeller heaters after learning that aircraft, on planned route of flight, might possibly encounter forecast icing conditions before atl, GA.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 556583 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200207 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | Ice other |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel |
| ASRS Report | 556583 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : disp 1 |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Aircraft Company Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Aircraft was an ATR72. Upon landing in ZZZ, the aircraft lost propeller heat. According to MEL, the aircraft could not be operated in known or forecasted icing conditions. Based on the current WX in ZZZ and en route to atl (where the aircraft was returning to) I elected not to dispatch the flight back to atl. WX forecasts were calling for thunderstorms for all of the sse united states. Thunderstorms were beginning to appear on radar in atl and southward towards mcn. After making the decision not to dispatch this flight XXXX I received pressure from the vice president of flight operations through the chief pilot. The chief pilot was sent to my desk and put pressure on me to dispatch this aircraft. Comments were made to me that they (the company) needed the aircraft back in atl. I still refused to do it. More than once, I repeated that forecasted thunderstorms predicate icing. Aircraft was repaired and afterwards dispatched back into atl.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DISPATCHER REFUSES TO DISPATCH AN ATR72 FLT WITH INOP PROP HEATERS AFTER LEARNING THAT ACFT, ON PLANNED RTE OF FLT, MIGHT POSSIBLY ENCOUNTER FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS BEFORE ATL, GA.
Narrative: ACFT WAS AN ATR72. UPON LNDG IN ZZZ, THE ACFT LOST PROP HEAT. ACCORDING TO MEL, THE ACFT COULD NOT BE OPERATED IN KNOWN OR FORECASTED ICING CONDITIONS. BASED ON THE CURRENT WX IN ZZZ AND ENRTE TO ATL (WHERE THE ACFT WAS RETURNING TO) I ELECTED NOT TO DISPATCH THE FLT BACK TO ATL. WX FORECASTS WERE CALLING FOR TSTMS FOR ALL OF THE SSE UNITED STATES. TSTMS WERE BEGINNING TO APPEAR ON RADAR IN ATL AND SOUTHWARD TOWARDS MCN. AFTER MAKING THE DECISION NOT TO DISPATCH THIS FLT XXXX I RECEIVED PRESSURE FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF FLT OPS THROUGH THE CHIEF PLT. THE CHIEF PLT WAS SENT TO MY DESK AND PUT PRESSURE ON ME TO DISPATCH THIS ACFT. COMMENTS WERE MADE TO ME THAT THEY (THE COMPANY) NEEDED THE ACFT BACK IN ATL. I STILL REFUSED TO DO IT. MORE THAN ONCE, I REPEATED THAT FORECASTED TSTMS PREDICATE ICING. ACFT WAS REPAIRED AND AFTERWARDS DISPATCHED BACK INTO ATL.
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.