An air carrier dispatcher complains about reduced staffing in his office at night.

Attributes
ACN	266234
Time
Date	199403
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mdsd airport : mia
State Reference	FO
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	266234
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft was on a refile flight plan from saez to kmia. The refile airport for our ETA was temporarily closed (mdsd) by NOTAM for repairs. The refile altitude airport (mdpp) was open. A flight plan/release was requested from me as soon as I arrived for work. I was the only dispatcher on duty due to reduced staffing and I overlooked the clsr NOTAM. I had looked at and sent the WX/NOTAMS for another airport in error. The aircraft proceeded to its intended destination (kmia) without incident. The error was brought to my attention the following day by another dispatcher. Until about 8 months ago, our dispatch office had 2 dispatchers on duty at all times, but position were eliminated to contain costs. DOD recently conducted an inspection of our facility and recommended that the company immediately hire back dispatchers so as to have 2 on duty at all times. I feel that due to our type operations, with only 1 dispatcher on duty at a time, greatly increases the risk of these types of mistakes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DISPATCHER COMPLAINS ABOUT REDUCED STAFFING IN HIS OFFICE AT NIGHT.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ON A REFILE FLT PLAN FROM SAEZ TO KMIA. THE REFILE ARPT FOR OUR ETA WAS TEMPORARILY CLOSED (MDSD) BY NOTAM FOR REPAIRS. THE REFILE ALT ARPT (MDPP) WAS OPEN. A FLT PLAN/RELEASE WAS REQUESTED FROM ME AS SOON AS I ARRIVED FOR WORK. I WAS THE ONLY DISPATCHER ON DUTY DUE TO REDUCED STAFFING AND I OVERLOOKED THE CLSR NOTAM. I HAD LOOKED AT AND SENT THE WX/NOTAMS FOR ANOTHER ARPT IN ERROR. THE ACFT PROCEEDED TO ITS INTENDED DEST (KMIA) WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE ERROR WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THE FOLLOWING DAY BY ANOTHER DISPATCHER. UNTIL ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO, OUR DISPATCH OFFICE HAD 2 DISPATCHERS ON DUTY AT ALL TIMES, BUT POS WERE ELIMINATED TO CONTAIN COSTS. DOD RECENTLY CONDUCTED AN INSPECTION OF OUR FACILITY AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE COMPANY IMMEDIATELY HIRE BACK DISPATCHERS SO AS TO HAVE 2 ON DUTY AT ALL TIMES. I FEEL THAT DUE TO OUR TYPE OPS, WITH ONLY 1 DISPATCHER ON DUTY AT A TIME, GREATLY INCREASES THE RISK OF THESE TYPES OF MISTAKES.

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.