Narrative:

The PIC contacted me by phone from the departure station to alert me to the fact that his release package contained no WX. Usually when this happens; it is a simple matter of either re-transmitting that portion of the package; or pulling up the WX and reading it to the crew. However; when I attempted to do this; I discovered the forecast had been dropped and the one and only metar was several hours old. When I tried calling our operations; I got an answering machine. I tried sending a message via our internal network; and I also tried dialing up ASOS in ZZZ via landline. As I was doing these things; a more experienced dispatcher; a dispatch supervisor; and the duty manager; collectively began pointing out various oversights I had committed and the apparent causes: I had missed that the ASOS was notamed OTS. It followed that when the NWS no longer had a minimum sequence of reports; it would drop the forecast. I had released a flight to an airport for which the 'latest available' WX was almost 8 hours old! Working together; we were able to contact a WX-qualified individual in ZZZ. She reported the WX as 'good;' and agreed to take a set of observations and enter the resulting data into our network; as well as call it in to FSS and the NWS. Meanwhile; we got the PIC to agree to proceed with the flight; provided the reported WX was above minimums and that he had the concurrence of the chief pilot on duty. Ground personnel in ZZZ would also supply at least a second set of observations prior to the flight's arrival there.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER ATTEMPTS TO RELEASE AN ACFT FLT CREW TO THEIR DEST WITHOUT PROPER WX.

Narrative: THE PIC CONTACTED ME BY PHONE FROM THE DEP STATION TO ALERT ME TO THE FACT THAT HIS RELEASE PACKAGE CONTAINED NO WX. USUALLY WHEN THIS HAPPENS; IT IS A SIMPLE MATTER OF EITHER RE-XMITTING THAT PORTION OF THE PACKAGE; OR PULLING UP THE WX AND READING IT TO THE CREW. HOWEVER; WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO DO THIS; I DISCOVERED THE FORECAST HAD BEEN DROPPED AND THE ONE AND ONLY METAR WAS SEVERAL HRS OLD. WHEN I TRIED CALLING OUR OPS; I GOT AN ANSWERING MACHINE. I TRIED SENDING A MESSAGE VIA OUR INTERNAL NETWORK; AND I ALSO TRIED DIALING UP ASOS IN ZZZ VIA LANDLINE. AS I WAS DOING THESE THINGS; A MORE EXPERIENCED DISPATCHER; A DISPATCH SUPVR; AND THE DUTY MGR; COLLECTIVELY BEGAN POINTING OUT VARIOUS OVERSIGHTS I HAD COMMITTED AND THE APPARENT CAUSES: I HAD MISSED THAT THE ASOS WAS NOTAMED OTS. IT FOLLOWED THAT WHEN THE NWS NO LONGER HAD A MINIMUM SEQUENCE OF RPTS; IT WOULD DROP THE FORECAST. I HAD RELEASED A FLT TO AN ARPT FOR WHICH THE 'LATEST AVAILABLE' WX WAS ALMOST 8 HRS OLD! WORKING TOGETHER; WE WERE ABLE TO CONTACT A WX-QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL IN ZZZ. SHE RPTED THE WX AS 'GOOD;' AND AGREED TO TAKE A SET OF OBSERVATIONS AND ENTER THE RESULTING DATA INTO OUR NETWORK; AS WELL AS CALL IT IN TO FSS AND THE NWS. MEANWHILE; WE GOT THE PIC TO AGREE TO PROCEED WITH THE FLT; PROVIDED THE RPTED WX WAS ABOVE MINIMUMS AND THAT HE HAD THE CONCURRENCE OF THE CHIEF PLT ON DUTY. GND PERSONNEL IN ZZZ WOULD ALSO SUPPLY AT LEAST A SECOND SET OF OBSERVATIONS PRIOR TO THE FLT'S ARR THERE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.