Narrative:

Flight was routed from sfo to nrt via G215-sya-A590 in order to avoid an area of strong mountain wave turbulence forecast over cold bay. After first position report, it was clear that crew had accepted reroute from ZOA via A342, that would take the flight directly over cold bay. At no time prior or after departure did the crew attempt to notify or consult dispatch about their routing through the wave area, even though their WX indicated the likelihood of moderate/severe turbulence along their accepted route. I contacted the flight and advised them that it was not a good idea to continue along their route and offered 2 possible reroutes to request from ATC to avoid the wave. The captain informed me that he could decide his own route and intended to continue through the mountain wave area. I could not persuade the captain to change his mind and deviate around the wave area. Flight crews feel that they are the ultimate and only authority when it comes to decisions concerns safety. They must be taught that they share joint responsibility with the flight dispatcher. The dispatcher must be kept in the information loop in order to help the flight crew made an informed decision. If the flight would have notified me on the ground about their proposed reroute, I could have coordinated a satisfactory resolution with ZOA and helped choose the most efficient and safest route!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB ACCEPTED A REROUTE THROUGH AN AREA OF FORECAST OF MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY THAT DISPATCH HAD ADVISED AGAINST USING.

Narrative: FLT WAS ROUTED FROM SFO TO NRT VIA G215-SYA-A590 IN ORDER TO AVOID AN AREA OF STRONG MOUNTAIN WAVE TURB FORECAST OVER COLD BAY. AFTER FIRST POS RPT, IT WAS CLR THAT CREW HAD ACCEPTED REROUTE FROM ZOA VIA A342, THAT WOULD TAKE THE FLT DIRECTLY OVER COLD BAY. AT NO TIME PRIOR OR AFTER DEP DID THE CREW ATTEMPT TO NOTIFY OR CONSULT DISPATCH ABOUT THEIR RTING THROUGH THE WAVE AREA, EVEN THOUGH THEIR WX INDICATED THE LIKELIHOOD OF MODERATE/SEVERE TURB ALONG THEIR ACCEPTED RTE. I CONTACTED THE FLT AND ADVISED THEM THAT IT WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO CONTINUE ALONG THEIR RTE AND OFFERED 2 POSSIBLE REROUTES TO REQUEST FROM ATC TO AVOID THE WAVE. THE CAPT INFORMED ME THAT HE COULD DECIDE HIS OWN RTE AND INTENDED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN WAVE AREA. I COULD NOT PERSUADE THE CAPT TO CHANGE HIS MIND AND DEVIATE AROUND THE WAVE AREA. FLT CREWS FEEL THAT THEY ARE THE ULTIMATE AND ONLY AUTHORITY WHEN IT COMES TO DECISIONS CONCERNS SAFETY. THEY MUST BE TAUGHT THAT THEY SHARE JOINT RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE FLT DISPATCHER. THE DISPATCHER MUST BE KEPT IN THE INFO LOOP IN ORDER TO HELP THE FLT CREW MADE AN INFORMED DECISION. IF THE FLT WOULD HAVE NOTIFIED ME ON THE GND ABOUT THEIR PROPOSED REROUTE, I COULD HAVE COORDINATED A SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION WITH ZOA AND HELPED CHOOSE THE MOST EFFICIENT AND SAFEST RTE!

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.