2 operating flts same day with same flight #'south due to takeoff delay on origination flight.

Attributes
ACN	184480
Time
Date	199107
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	184480
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight (msy-phl) was 3 hours 54 mins late getting into phl due to ground hold at msy. Another aircraft was used for the continuation of flight (phl-bos). The previous dispatcher had knowledge of the situation and had released both flts. I took over for him at approximately XX25 local and was not aware of the problem until approximately X?30 local. The flight out of phl should have been renumbered since the flight from msy had the same flight #. It was a very busy shift due to east coast WX and traffic problems. The previous dispatcher had many problems to contend with. I was surprised the crew or operations people did not catch the error. No one knew until the flight from phl-bos landed. This problem has occurred before on a very busy night. It is very difficult when handling a large # of flts to notice that type of error, especially when another dispatcher is handling the next leg of flight. To prevent a recurrence we must take the time to check every late flight to see if an aircraft substitution has been made.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 OPERATING FLTS SAME DAY WITH SAME FLT #'S DUE TO TKOF DELAY ON ORIGINATION FLT.

Narrative: FLT (MSY-PHL) WAS 3 HRS 54 MINS LATE GETTING INTO PHL DUE TO GND HOLD AT MSY. ANOTHER ACFT WAS USED FOR THE CONTINUATION OF FLT (PHL-BOS). THE PREVIOUS DISPATCHER HAD KNOWLEDGE OF THE SITUATION AND HAD RELEASED BOTH FLTS. I TOOK OVER FOR HIM AT APPROX XX25 LCL AND WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM UNTIL APPROX X?30 LCL. THE FLT OUT OF PHL SHOULD HAVE BEEN RENUMBERED SINCE THE FLT FROM MSY HAD THE SAME FLT #. IT WAS A VERY BUSY SHIFT DUE TO EAST COAST WX AND TFC PROBLEMS. THE PREVIOUS DISPATCHER HAD MANY PROBLEMS TO CONTEND WITH. I WAS SURPRISED THE CREW OR OPS PEOPLE DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR. NO ONE KNEW UNTIL THE FLT FROM PHL-BOS LANDED. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED BEFORE ON A VERY BUSY NIGHT. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT WHEN HANDLING A LARGE # OF FLTS TO NOTICE THAT TYPE OF ERROR, ESPECIALLY WHEN ANOTHER DISPATCHER IS HANDLING THE NEXT LEG OF FLT. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE WE MUST TAKE THE TIME TO CHK EVERY LATE FLT TO SEE IF AN ACFT SUBSTITUTION HAS BEEN MADE.

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.