A B767 flight crew noted that the WX forecast for their destination airport was not accurate. They h...

Attributes
ACN	556843
Time
Date	200206
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : red.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 1185
ASRS Report	556843
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Flight planned on an inbound leg from den to ind (single segment). WX and forecast for ind at that time indicated VFR on arrival. Flight plan had no hold or alternate fuel. About 1.5 hours out from ind we checked ATIS and there was a thunderstorm over the airport. Immediately sent a message to dispatch asking where that thunderstorm was and which direction it was moving. There was a quick response from dispatch, a new dispatcher, with an apology. We were advised that an original dispatcher missed a change in forecast and that we were the only flight that was flying towards ind with no fuel to hold and fly to an alternate. As we decided to fly at FL370 to conserve fuel (instead of FL290 as per flight plan) we had enough fuel to arrive at ind with about 9000 pounds, enough to divert to ord if necessary. I used ACARS to inform dispatch about our fuel state and he suggested we divert to ord. I was afraid to get stuck at ord and suggested mke. Dispatch came back with rfd. I have not been to rfd, but it looked like a good place to get fuel with little or no delay. Dispatcher asked us to divert from present position as the WX was stationary over ind with no immediate change expected and the airport closed for arrs. Arrival, service, and departure from rfd was quick and by the time we got to ind, airport had opened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 FLC NOTED THAT THE WX FORECAST FOR THEIR DEST ARPT WAS NOT ACCURATE. THEY HAD TO DIVERT TO RFD FOR FUEL BECAUSE OF TFC DELAYS DUE TO TSTM ACTIVITY OVER IND, IN.

Narrative: FLT PLANNED ON AN INBOUND LEG FROM DEN TO IND (SINGLE SEGMENT). WX AND FORECAST FOR IND AT THAT TIME INDICATED VFR ON ARR. FLT PLAN HAD NO HOLD OR ALTERNATE FUEL. ABOUT 1.5 HRS OUT FROM IND WE CHKED ATIS AND THERE WAS A TSTM OVER THE ARPT. IMMEDIATELY SENT A MESSAGE TO DISPATCH ASKING WHERE THAT TSTM WAS AND WHICH DIRECTION IT WAS MOVING. THERE WAS A QUICK RESPONSE FROM DISPATCH, A NEW DISPATCHER, WITH AN APOLOGY. WE WERE ADVISED THAT AN ORIGINAL DISPATCHER MISSED A CHANGE IN FORECAST AND THAT WE WERE THE ONLY FLT THAT WAS FLYING TOWARDS IND WITH NO FUEL TO HOLD AND FLY TO AN ALTERNATE. AS WE DECIDED TO FLY AT FL370 TO CONSERVE FUEL (INSTEAD OF FL290 AS PER FLT PLAN) WE HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO ARRIVE AT IND WITH ABOUT 9000 LBS, ENOUGH TO DIVERT TO ORD IF NECESSARY. I USED ACARS TO INFORM DISPATCH ABOUT OUR FUEL STATE AND HE SUGGESTED WE DIVERT TO ORD. I WAS AFRAID TO GET STUCK AT ORD AND SUGGESTED MKE. DISPATCH CAME BACK WITH RFD. I HAVE NOT BEEN TO RFD, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE A GOOD PLACE TO GET FUEL WITH LITTLE OR NO DELAY. DISPATCHER ASKED US TO DIVERT FROM PRESENT POS AS THE WX WAS STATIONARY OVER IND WITH NO IMMEDIATE CHANGE EXPECTED AND THE ARPT CLOSED FOR ARRS. ARR, SVC, AND DEP FROM RFD WAS QUICK AND BY THE TIME WE GOT TO IND, ARPT HAD OPENED.

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.

A B767 flight crew noted that the WX forecast for their destination airport was not accurate. They had to divert to rfd for fuel because of traffic delays due to thunderstorm activity over ind, in.