Narrative:

Airlines flight from santiago to lima was held on the ground in santiago because of dense fog and lack of suitable takeoff alternate. Mendoza, argentina, 105 mi to the east of santiago, was clear. However, it could not be used because single engine performance of aircraft would not allow flight to climb to FL260 en route MEA between scl and mdz. Supervisors in support section of dispatch learned that flight was being held on ground and repeatedly and forcefully ordered me to, 'release the flight.' when I explained that flight could not climb over mountains between scl and mdz, supervisor said that was not any of my concern, that all I had to know was that takeoff alternate was within 360 NM from takeoff airport. When I asked what would happen if flight lost an engine on takeoff, said, 'then they don't make it.' I refused to follow orders and left flight on ground until fog cleared. This matter surfaced again recently in a pilot safety debrief. Since then I have learned that has pressured numerous dispatchers to release flts in unsafe or illegal circumstances.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER'S COMPLAINT THAT HIS SUPVR TRIED TO COERCE HIM INTO RELEASING AN ACFT ILLEGALLY.

Narrative: AIRLINES FLT FROM SANTIAGO TO LIMA WAS HELD ON THE GND IN SANTIAGO BECAUSE OF DENSE FOG AND LACK OF SUITABLE TKOF ALTERNATE. MENDOZA, ARGENTINA, 105 MI TO THE E OF SANTIAGO, WAS CLR. HOWEVER, IT COULD NOT BE USED BECAUSE SINGLE ENG PERFORMANCE OF ACFT WOULD NOT ALLOW FLT TO CLB TO FL260 ENRTE MEA BTWN SCL AND MDZ. SUPVRS IN SUPPORT SECTION OF DISPATCH LEARNED THAT FLT WAS BEING HELD ON GND AND REPEATEDLY AND FORCEFULLY ORDERED ME TO, 'RELEASE THE FLT.' WHEN I EXPLAINED THAT FLT COULD NOT CLB OVER MOUNTAINS BTWN SCL AND MDZ, SUPVR SAID THAT WAS NOT ANY OF MY CONCERN, THAT ALL I HAD TO KNOW WAS THAT TKOF ALTERNATE WAS WITHIN 360 NM FROM TKOF ARPT. WHEN I ASKED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF FLT LOST AN ENG ON TKOF, SAID, 'THEN THEY DON'T MAKE IT.' I REFUSED TO FOLLOW ORDERS AND LEFT FLT ON GND UNTIL FOG CLRED. THIS MATTER SURFACED AGAIN RECENTLY IN A PLT SAFETY DEBRIEF. SINCE THEN I HAVE LEARNED THAT HAS PRESSURED NUMEROUS DISPATCHERS TO RELEASE FLTS IN UNSAFE OR ILLEGAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

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.