An air carrier dispatcher complains when a captain, in effect, became his own dispatcher.

Attributes
ACN	308660
Time
Date	199506
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bda
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	308660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I dispatched flight bda-ewr based on approximately payload of 17000 pounds. I inadvertently entered 1700 pounds in the flight planning computer. Due to heavy workload from thunderstorms impacting most areas in which I was responsible, I failed to notice my error. I planned the flight to require 16774 pounds of fuel burn plus required domestic reserves and approximately 5000 pounds contingency/holding fuel plus a bdl alternate. I estimated the time en route to be 1 hour 53 mins. I first realized my error when the captain came in from the trip and said 'you were 10000 pounds off in your payload.' I was surprised, and after verifying the error, asked him why didn't he notify me. He said 'I took care of it.' I checked and the way he 'took care of it' was he overburned 1281 pounds of fuel that he might have needed due to WX and ATC problems in the new york area. I acknowledge my mistake, but I feel the captain undermined the 'joint responsibility' intention of the FARS in regards to pilot/dispatcher responsibilities.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DISPATCHER COMPLAINS WHEN A CAPT, IN EFFECT, BECAME HIS OWN DISPATCHER.

Narrative: I DISPATCHED FLT BDA-EWR BASED ON APPROX PAYLOAD OF 17000 LBS. I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED 1700 LBS IN THE FLT PLANNING COMPUTER. DUE TO HVY WORKLOAD FROM TSTMS IMPACTING MOST AREAS IN WHICH I WAS RESPONSIBLE, I FAILED TO NOTICE MY ERROR. I PLANNED THE FLT TO REQUIRE 16774 LBS OF FUEL BURN PLUS REQUIRED DOMESTIC RESERVES AND APPROX 5000 LBS CONTINGENCY/HOLDING FUEL PLUS A BDL ALTERNATE. I ESTIMATED THE TIME ENRTE TO BE 1 HR 53 MINS. I FIRST REALIZED MY ERROR WHEN THE CAPT CAME IN FROM THE TRIP AND SAID 'YOU WERE 10000 LBS OFF IN YOUR PAYLOAD.' I WAS SURPRISED, AND AFTER VERIFYING THE ERROR, ASKED HIM WHY DIDN'T HE NOTIFY ME. HE SAID 'I TOOK CARE OF IT.' I CHKED AND THE WAY HE 'TOOK CARE OF IT' WAS HE OVERBURNED 1281 LBS OF FUEL THAT HE MIGHT HAVE NEEDED DUE TO WX AND ATC PROBS IN THE NEW YORK AREA. I ACKNOWLEDGE MY MISTAKE, BUT I FEEL THE CAPT UNDERMINED THE 'JOINT RESPONSIBILITY' INTENTION OF THE FARS IN REGARDS TO PLT/DISPATCHER RESPONSIBILITIES.

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.