Narrative:

Aircraft was swapped for this flight. Since the release was done, it was updated to reflect the change of aircraft and updated ETD. A second, updated ETD was received about 20 mins before the updated ETD, so an amended release was not done since it was close to departure time and the second delay was minor. Shortly before departure, maintenance issued MEL for inoperative flight spoilers. This carries a speed restr, an altitude restr and a mtow restr. It also requires special landing and takeoff data. The aircraft was boarded and there was pressure to process the amended release and to get the release and performance data. In the rush to do this, I failed to notice the mtow limit and did not put it on the release. The crew noticed it and called back to get an amendment to the release. The concept of joint responsibility kept the flight legal, although both myself and my supervisor overlooked the mtow restr, the crew caught it. Since the aircraft was boarded for the pre-MEL release numbers, about 60 passenger were deboarded to meet the restr. There were 2 contributing factors to this situation: 1) the fact that maintenance control had prior knowledge of the problem and did not advise dispatch. 2) the pressure to avoid more delays. I believe that maintenance control knew the nature of the problem and swapped the aircraft on the final leg of the day for that reason. The mtow restr is listed on the 5TH page of 6 pages of MEL text, while the other restrs are on the first page. All restrs should be listed in one area in the MEL text.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER OVERLOOKS MTOW RESTR ON AMENDED FLT RELEASE. B757-300 FLT CREW CATCHES THE ERROR.

Narrative: ACFT WAS SWAPPED FOR THIS FLT. SINCE THE RELEASE WAS DONE, IT WAS UPDATED TO REFLECT THE CHANGE OF ACFT AND UPDATED ETD. A SECOND, UPDATED ETD WAS RECEIVED ABOUT 20 MINS BEFORE THE UPDATED ETD, SO AN AMENDED RELEASE WAS NOT DONE SINCE IT WAS CLOSE TO DEP TIME AND THE SECOND DELAY WAS MINOR. SHORTLY BEFORE DEP, MAINT ISSUED MEL FOR INOP FLT SPOILERS. THIS CARRIES A SPD RESTR, AN ALT RESTR AND A MTOW RESTR. IT ALSO REQUIRES SPECIAL LNDG AND TKOF DATA. THE ACFT WAS BOARDED AND THERE WAS PRESSURE TO PROCESS THE AMENDED RELEASE AND TO GET THE RELEASE AND PERFORMANCE DATA. IN THE RUSH TO DO THIS, I FAILED TO NOTICE THE MTOW LIMIT AND DID NOT PUT IT ON THE RELEASE. THE CREW NOTICED IT AND CALLED BACK TO GET AN AMENDMENT TO THE RELEASE. THE CONCEPT OF JOINT RESPONSIBILITY KEPT THE FLT LEGAL, ALTHOUGH BOTH MYSELF AND MY SUPVR OVERLOOKED THE MTOW RESTR, THE CREW CAUGHT IT. SINCE THE ACFT WAS BOARDED FOR THE PRE-MEL RELEASE NUMBERS, ABOUT 60 PAX WERE DEBOARDED TO MEET THE RESTR. THERE WERE 2 CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS SIT: 1) THE FACT THAT MAINT CTL HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROB AND DID NOT ADVISE DISPATCH. 2) THE PRESSURE TO AVOID MORE DELAYS. I BELIEVE THAT MAINT CTL KNEW THE NATURE OF THE PROB AND SWAPPED THE ACFT ON THE FINAL LEG OF THE DAY FOR THAT REASON. THE MTOW RESTR IS LISTED ON THE 5TH PAGE OF 6 PAGES OF MEL TEXT, WHILE THE OTHER RESTRS ARE ON THE FIRST PAGE. ALL RESTRS SHOULD BE LISTED IN ONE AREA IN THE MEL TEXT.

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.