Narrative:

On second flight of the day the captain calls to talk to maintenance and defer the FMS database. On my plot the FMS database MEL needed approval. I approved the MEL. Then called to drop my strip. After dropping the strip I built a route and got everything ready; but didn't submit it. With the strip dropped I could be assured the pilot would contact me to refile them and while that happened I could add the MEL too. This ensures that the pilot is looking at the most up to date infomation. I continued working my desk waiting for that call. When something told me to just look and see where he was. I had and out time and when I zoomed into the airport on [my display]; I saw the aircraft taking the runway for takeoff. I looked for an off time to make sure it was him. No off time was in ACARS. Waiting for that aircraft to reach a safe altitude; and not sure if I was watching a 'phantom plane.' once I thought they were at a safe altitude; I asked them if they were off and they replied back with their time. I then asked if they had the FMS database MEL on their release. They responded back with; 'give your initials.' I told them I can't while they are in flight. When they took off they were on their original route; which didn't comply with the MEL; since they were on an RNAV route. After I brought it to their attention their STAR was changed to a non-RNAV STAR I had [the supervisor] pull the tape to make sure I dropped their strip. He confirmed with me that I called and it was over 30 min prior to them getting into the air.the plane had enough fuel for the route they flew. However the route I built they needed to take fuel. They also must have gotten their [clearance] prior to me changing their route; because after I changed the data they wouldn't have been able to get takeoff data with the fuel mismatch. With confirming that I called to drop the strip either one of 2 things happened. 1. Flight data failed to drop the strip or 2. The captain refiled with ATC himself. This event occurred in a time of additional workload from an MEL that we see come every 28 days. This MEL involves us building more routes because we don't have an RNAV and non RNAV route on all routes. Our routes don't save and the person who is in charge of saving the route isn't efficient in saving the routes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Dispatcher reports canceling a Center stored clearance due to an FMC MEL requiring a reroute; expecting the crew to contact him when they learn no clearance is available. The crew departs without a valid clearance and without the revised release.

Narrative: On second flight of the day the Captain calls to talk to Maintenance and defer the FMS Database. On my plot the FMS Database MEL needed approval. I approved the MEL. Then called to drop my strip. After dropping the strip I built a route and got everything ready; but didn't submit it. With the strip dropped I could be assured the pilot would contact me to refile them and while that happened I could add the MEL too. This ensures that the pilot is looking at the most up to date infomation. I continued working my desk waiting for that call. When something told me to just look and see where he was. I had and out time and when I zoomed into the airport on [my display]; I saw the aircraft taking the runway for takeoff. I looked for an off time to make sure it was him. No off time was in ACARS. Waiting for that aircraft to reach a safe altitude; and not sure if I was watching a 'Phantom plane.' Once I thought they were at a safe altitude; I asked them if they were OFF and they replied back with their time. I then asked if they had the FMS Database MEL on their release. They responded back with; 'Give your initials.' I told them I can't while they are in flight. When they took off they were on their original route; which didn't comply with the MEL; since they were on an RNAV route. After I brought it to their attention their STAR was changed to a non-RNAV STAR I had [the Supervisor] pull the tape to make sure I dropped their strip. He confirmed with me that I called and it was over 30 min prior to them getting into the air.The plane had enough fuel for the route they flew. However the route I built they needed to take fuel. They also must have gotten their [clearance] prior to me changing their route; because after I changed the data they wouldn't have been able to get takeoff data with the fuel mismatch. With confirming that I called to drop the strip either one of 2 things happened. 1. Flight Data failed to drop the strip or 2. The Captain refiled with ATC himself. This event occurred in a time of additional workload from an MEL that we see come every 28 days. This MEL involves us building more routes because we don't have an RNAV and non RNAV route on all routes. Our routes don't save and the person who is in charge of saving the route isn't efficient in saving the routes.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.