Airline dispatcher released flight with destination alternate not suitable for aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	752738
Time
Date	200709
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : a11.tracon
State Reference	AK
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a11.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	752738
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Flight X departed bound for anchorage with an elmendorf alternate. I unwittingly picked elmendorf as an alternate; not realizing that aircraft was an MD80. MD80 aircraft are not capable of an IFR approach at edf due to FMS not having full approach in database. I recognized my error while flight was en route; and was able to legally change to alternate none; since anchorage WX was VFR; the remainder of the flight was uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIRLINE DISPATCHER RELEASED FLT WITH DEST ALTERNATE NOT SUITABLE FOR ACFT.

Narrative: FLT X DEPARTED BOUND FOR ANCHORAGE WITH AN ELMENDORF ALTERNATE. I UNWITTINGLY PICKED ELMENDORF AS AN ALTERNATE; NOT REALIZING THAT ACFT WAS AN MD80. MD80 ACFT ARE NOT CAPABLE OF AN IFR APCH AT EDF DUE TO FMS NOT HAVING FULL APCH IN DATABASE. I RECOGNIZED MY ERROR WHILE FLT WAS ENRTE; AND WAS ABLE TO LEGALLY CHANGE TO ALTERNATE NONE; SINCE ANCHORAGE WX WAS VFR; THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.