Dispatch mixup. Flight dispatched illegally.

Attributes
ACN	186571
Time
Date	199108
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	186571
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Widebody transport was en route from miami, fl, to lima, peru. While en route the aircraft had a dual flight management system computer failure, and landed in panama city, panama. While I was preparing the flight plan for the flight from panama to lima, I concluded that emergency depressurization driftdown data was not required for the 1 route in the computer navigation database. After the flight was released, it was determined that the aircraft would remain in panama overnight for repairs. I was relieved by another dispatcher, who released the flight to update the computer winds to the flight plan, the following morning. He was relieved by another dispatcher who received a call from the captain, who pointed out that he was given an illegal dispatch release, because the route was over mountainous terrain. It was determined that the captain was correct. At this time, another route was built in the computer navigation database and was provided to the captain. Although the route was not flown, the captain reported the situation to company management, and an internal investigation is ongoing. It is my opinion, that the contributing factors that led to this event were the lack of restrictions within the computer based flight planning system, and the high workload placed upon the dispatcher in a given 8 hour shift.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCH MIXUP. FLT DISPATCHED ILLEGALLY.

Narrative: WDB WAS ENRTE FROM MIAMI, FL, TO LIMA, PERU. WHILE ENRTE THE ACFT HAD A DUAL FLT MGMNT SYS COMPUTER FAILURE, AND LANDED IN PANAMA CITY, PANAMA. WHILE I WAS PREPARING THE FLT PLAN FOR THE FLT FROM PANAMA TO LIMA, I CONCLUDED THAT EMER DEPRESSURIZATION DRIFTDOWN DATA WAS NOT REQUIRED FOR THE 1 RTE IN THE COMPUTER NAV DATABASE. AFTER THE FLT WAS RELEASED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ACFT WOULD REMAIN IN PANAMA OVERNIGHT FOR REPAIRS. I WAS RELIEVED BY ANOTHER DISPATCHER, WHO RELEASED THE FLT TO UPDATE THE COMPUTER WINDS TO THE FLT PLAN, THE FOLLOWING MORNING. HE WAS RELIEVED BY ANOTHER DISPATCHER WHO RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE CAPT, WHO POINTED OUT THAT HE WAS GIVEN AN ILLEGAL DISPATCH RELEASE, BECAUSE THE RTE WAS OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAPT WAS CORRECT. AT THIS TIME, ANOTHER RTE WAS BUILT IN THE COMPUTER NAV DATABASE AND WAS PROVIDED TO THE CAPT. ALTHOUGH THE RTE WAS NOT FLOWN, THE CAPT RPTED THE SITUATION TO COMPANY MGMNT, AND AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING. IT IS MY OPINION, THAT THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS THAT LED TO THIS EVENT WERE THE LACK OF RESTRICTIONS WITHIN THE COMPUTER BASED FLT PLANNING SYS, AND THE HIGH WORKLOAD PLACED UPON THE DISPATCHER IN A GIVEN 8 HR SHIFT.

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.