Narrative:

Flight normally operates abq-dfw. On this date dfw was experiencing IFR conditions with airborne holds in the vicinity of 45 mins. This flight did not at any time contact me via radio at the dfw dispatch center. I received 1 ACARS message early on that stated the flight was diverting to shv. I then immediately coordinated with ft worth ARTCC to see if they could work the flight in and avoid this diversion. The crew had left holding without contacting me to see what our options were and were flying towards shv. During this period I sent several updating messages and was also monitoring dfw local frequency. I can also use my computer to interrogate the aircraft to determine its altitude and fuel status. I could tell from these entries that the flight was in a descent for dfw. I heard him on tower frequency approximately 10 mi out and heard him execute a missed approach (I think runway 31R) due to LLWS. Missed approach instructions were to climb to 3000 ft. I believed the flight was being vectored for another approach. The next report I received was an automatic ACARS down time. Thinking he was at dfw I sent him an ACARS message 'cutting it close, nice job' which was acknowledged. Approximately 25 mins later I received a telephone call from dispatch telling me my flight was waiting for a gate at dal. Dal was not listed on the flight release as an alternate airport, therefore the pilot must have exercised emergency authority to land there. Upon gate arrival he did not contact me and to this day still hasn't, which is a violation of several of our practices and procedures. I have asked myself what can I do to insure this loss of operational control does not occur again and will work to that end.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER RPT REF LOSS OF OPERATIONAL CTL AS ACR DIVERTS WITHOUT CONTACTING HIM.

Narrative: FLT NORMALLY OPERATES ABQ-DFW. ON THIS DATE DFW WAS EXPERIENCING IFR CONDITIONS WITH AIRBORNE HOLDS IN THE VICINITY OF 45 MINS. THIS FLT DID NOT AT ANY TIME CONTACT ME VIA RADIO AT THE DFW DISPATCH CTR. I RECEIVED 1 ACARS MESSAGE EARLY ON THAT STATED THE FLT WAS DIVERTING TO SHV. I THEN IMMEDIATELY COORDINATED WITH FT WORTH ARTCC TO SEE IF THEY COULD WORK THE FLT IN AND AVOID THIS DIVERSION. THE CREW HAD LEFT HOLDING WITHOUT CONTACTING ME TO SEE WHAT OUR OPTIONS WERE AND WERE FLYING TOWARDS SHV. DURING THIS PERIOD I SENT SEVERAL UPDATING MESSAGES AND WAS ALSO MONITORING DFW LCL FREQ. I CAN ALSO USE MY COMPUTER TO INTERROGATE THE ACFT TO DETERMINE ITS ALT AND FUEL STATUS. I COULD TELL FROM THESE ENTRIES THAT THE FLT WAS IN A DSCNT FOR DFW. I HEARD HIM ON TWR FREQ APPROX 10 MI OUT AND HEARD HIM EXECUTE A MISSED APCH (I THINK RWY 31R) DUE TO LLWS. MISSED APCH INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO CLB TO 3000 FT. I BELIEVED THE FLT WAS BEING VECTORED FOR ANOTHER APCH. THE NEXT RPT I RECEIVED WAS AN AUTO ACARS DOWN TIME. THINKING HE WAS AT DFW I SENT HIM AN ACARS MESSAGE 'CUTTING IT CLOSE, NICE JOB' WHICH WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. APPROX 25 MINS LATER I RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM DISPATCH TELLING ME MY FLT WAS WAITING FOR A GATE AT DAL. DAL WAS NOT LISTED ON THE FLT RELEASE AS AN ALTERNATE ARPT, THEREFORE THE PLT MUST HAVE EXERCISED EMER AUTHORITY TO LAND THERE. UPON GATE ARR HE DID NOT CONTACT ME AND TO THIS DAY STILL HASN'T, WHICH IS A VIOLATION OF SEVERAL OF OUR PRACTICES AND PROCS. I HAVE ASKED MYSELF WHAT CAN I DO TO INSURE THIS LOSS OF OPERATIONAL CTL DOES NOT OCCUR AGAIN AND WILL WORK TO THAT END.

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.