Narrative:

On air carrier flight xx on mar/xx/95 as first officer I had not had time to review the WX forecasts. The captain dispatched the flight as per far part 135. When we arrived at mbs the WX was 2400 ft RVR, -X. We broke out at minimums and landed. I became curious because I had collected current WX en route and it was low in a wide area. On the ground I discovered that the conditional phrases in the forecast were less than required for dispatch. The captain had missed it. This is an example of once when having a dispatcher would have been good. However 99% of the time self dispatching works and is certainly less cumbersome. I can even visualize conservative capts being denied extra fuel. Note: the flight could have been dispatched under 121 using exemption 3585. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was called to determine what phrases were missing from his report that would have made it illegal for his flight. He reported that they should have had at least 2400 ft RVR at time of departure, it was below that, but captain missed it and first officer had no time to check predep WX. If carrier had used far 121 rules, which require a dispatcher, in all likelihood the error would not have occurred. This flight was completed as the WX improved to 2400 ft RVR at the time of their arrival. The reason the first officer reviewed the flight release was that they were the first ones to arrive at the destination. No one else could be legally dispatched until the RVR improved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC DEPARTS ARPT WITH WX BELOW MINIMUMS FOR APCH AT DEST.

Narrative: ON ACR FLT XX ON MAR/XX/95 AS FO I HAD NOT HAD TIME TO REVIEW THE WX FORECASTS. THE CAPT DISPATCHED THE FLT AS PER FAR PART 135. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT MBS THE WX WAS 2400 FT RVR, -X. WE BROKE OUT AT MINIMUMS AND LANDED. I BECAME CURIOUS BECAUSE I HAD COLLECTED CURRENT WX ENRTE AND IT WAS LOW IN A WIDE AREA. ON THE GND I DISCOVERED THAT THE CONDITIONAL PHRASES IN THE FORECAST WERE LESS THAN REQUIRED FOR DISPATCH. THE CAPT HAD MISSED IT. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONCE WHEN HAVING A DISPATCHER WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD. HOWEVER 99% OF THE TIME SELF DISPATCHING WORKS AND IS CERTAINLY LESS CUMBERSOME. I CAN EVEN VISUALIZE CONSERVATIVE CAPTS BEING DENIED EXTRA FUEL. NOTE: THE FLT COULD HAVE BEEN DISPATCHED UNDER 121 USING EXEMPTION 3585. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR WAS CALLED TO DETERMINE WHAT PHRASES WERE MISSING FROM HIS RPT THAT WOULD HAVE MADE IT ILLEGAL FOR HIS FLT. HE RPTED THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD AT LEAST 2400 FT RVR AT TIME OF DEP, IT WAS BELOW THAT, BUT CAPT MISSED IT AND FO HAD NO TIME TO CHK PREDEP WX. IF CARRIER HAD USED FAR 121 RULES, WHICH REQUIRE A DISPATCHER, IN ALL LIKELIHOOD THE ERROR WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. THIS FLT WAS COMPLETED AS THE WX IMPROVED TO 2400 FT RVR AT THE TIME OF THEIR ARR. THE REASON THE FO REVIEWED THE FLT RELEASE WAS THAT THEY WERE THE FIRST ONES TO ARRIVE AT THE DEST. NO ONE ELSE COULD BE LEGALLY DISPATCHED UNTIL THE RVR IMPROVED.

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.