Narrative:

The dispatcher at this carrier use a computer system for flight planning. The data for flex tracks between hnl and orient destinations is loaded daily by a data base specialist. This person is not required to be licensed by the FAA, and is not held accountable for errors which could effect the safety of flight. On 2/13, the data was loaded incorrectly which resulted in flight plans for 3 flts which were 25 mins shorter than they should have been. The crew of the first departure discovered the error while programming their INS. They informed dispatch of the discrepancy which resulted in my discovery of the programming error. I had the data corrected and revised the release and ICAO flight plans to comply with legal requirments. I would suggest that all persons involved with flight planning should be required to hold a valid aircraft dispatcher certificate. They should be held accountable for their actions just as the users of the flight planning systems are. Supplemental information from acn 170783. Way point on flight plan was loaded into flight planning system wrong causing a 200 plus mi error and 30 flight time error. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. When asked if there was any procedure used to proofread or check the inputs made by the data base specialist, the reporter stated that there were none. However, he said that this 'went right to the top' and that something was being done or contemplated. He was not sure what it was. He was interested to know the importance of dispatcher reports.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT PLAN DATA ENTRY COULD HAVE CAUSED FLT TO DEPART WITH THIRTY MINS TOO LITTLE FUEL.

Narrative: THE DISPATCHER AT THIS CARRIER USE A COMPUTER SYS FOR FLT PLANNING. THE DATA FOR FLEX TRACKS BTWN HNL AND ORIENT DESTINATIONS IS LOADED DAILY BY A DATA BASE SPECIALIST. THIS PERSON IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE LICENSED BY THE FAA, AND IS NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ERRORS WHICH COULD EFFECT THE SAFETY OF FLT. ON 2/13, THE DATA WAS LOADED INCORRECTLY WHICH RESULTED IN FLT PLANS FOR 3 FLTS WHICH WERE 25 MINS SHORTER THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THE CREW OF THE FIRST DEP DISCOVERED THE ERROR WHILE PROGRAMMING THEIR INS. THEY INFORMED DISPATCH OF THE DISCREPANCY WHICH RESULTED IN MY DISCOVERY OF THE PROGRAMMING ERROR. I HAD THE DATA CORRECTED AND REVISED THE RELEASE AND ICAO FLT PLANS TO COMPLY WITH LEGAL REQUIRMENTS. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT ALL PERSONS INVOLVED WITH FLT PLANNING SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HOLD A VALID ACFT DISPATCHER CERTIFICATE. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS JUST AS THE USERS OF THE FLT PLANNING SYSTEMS ARE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 170783. WAY POINT ON FLT PLAN WAS LOADED INTO FLT PLANNING SYS WRONG CAUSING A 200 PLUS MI ERROR AND 30 FLT TIME ERROR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. WHEN ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY PROC USED TO PROOFREAD OR CHK THE INPUTS MADE BY THE DATA BASE SPECIALIST, THE RPTR STATED THAT THERE WERE NONE. HOWEVER, HE SAID THAT THIS 'WENT RIGHT TO THE TOP' AND THAT SOMETHING WAS BEING DONE OR CONTEMPLATED. HE WAS NOT SURE WHAT IT WAS. HE WAS INTERESTED TO KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF DISPATCHER RPTS.

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.