Narrative:

I was the relief pilot on a european flight back to sfo. I had been on my scheduled 2 hour rest period taken in the passenger cabin when the captain and flying first officer overflew our redispatch fix. They had forgotten to ask for the redispatch message from the dispatcher and the dispatcher had forgotten to send it. As a result, the flight had continued past the redispatch fix to our final destination without proper acknowledgement. Not until I had returned from my break and past our redispatch fix did we realize what had been missed. Fortunately, we had more than enough fuel and the WX was clear with no restrs at our destination. I believe a probable cause for this incident was due to the long flight time (11 hours 30 mins) and the early wake-up. Additionally, the requirement to acknowledge the redispatch message is really a moot point. We, as the pilots, are continually monitoring our fuel state and WX conditions at our intended destination. If there was any point in the flight where our safe completion to our destination was in question, we would surely be cognizant of it. The redispatch fix, message, and acknowledgement are really just a 'square filler' and in the back of most pilots heads is that perception the FAA should either re-emphasize and substantiate this requirement or change it. Until then, I will re-emphasize to the crew the importance of sending the acceptance of the redispatch message before I take my rest break.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RELIEF OFFICER OF B767-300 FLT RETURNS TO COCKPIT AFTER REST PERIOD TO DISCOVER THAT THEY HAVE FLOWN BEYOND THE REDISPATCH FIX. FLC FORGOT TO ASK FOR THE REDISPATCH AND DISPATCHER FORGOT TO SENT IT.

Narrative: I WAS THE RELIEF PLT ON A EUROPEAN FLT BACK TO SFO. I HAD BEEN ON MY SCHEDULED 2 HR REST PERIOD TAKEN IN THE PAX CABIN WHEN THE CAPT AND FLYING FO OVERFLEW OUR REDISPATCH FIX. THEY HAD FORGOTTEN TO ASK FOR THE REDISPATCH MESSAGE FROM THE DISPATCHER AND THE DISPATCHER HAD FORGOTTEN TO SEND IT. AS A RESULT, THE FLT HAD CONTINUED PAST THE REDISPATCH FIX TO OUR FINAL DEST WITHOUT PROPER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. NOT UNTIL I HAD RETURNED FROM MY BREAK AND PAST OUR REDISPATCH FIX DID WE REALIZE WHAT HAD BEEN MISSED. FORTUNATELY, WE HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH FUEL AND THE WX WAS CLR WITH NO RESTRS AT OUR DEST. I BELIEVE A PROBABLE CAUSE FOR THIS INCIDENT WAS DUE TO THE LONG FLT TIME (11 HRS 30 MINS) AND THE EARLY WAKE-UP. ADDITIONALLY, THE REQUIREMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE REDISPATCH MESSAGE IS REALLY A MOOT POINT. WE, AS THE PLTS, ARE CONTINUALLY MONITORING OUR FUEL STATE AND WX CONDITIONS AT OUR INTENDED DEST. IF THERE WAS ANY POINT IN THE FLT WHERE OUR SAFE COMPLETION TO OUR DEST WAS IN QUESTION, WE WOULD SURELY BE COGNIZANT OF IT. THE REDISPATCH FIX, MESSAGE, AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ARE REALLY JUST A 'SQUARE FILLER' AND IN THE BACK OF MOST PLTS HEADS IS THAT PERCEPTION THE FAA SHOULD EITHER RE-EMPHASIZE AND SUBSTANTIATE THIS REQUIREMENT OR CHANGE IT. UNTIL THEN, I WILL RE-EMPHASIZE TO THE CREW THE IMPORTANCE OF SENDING THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE REDISPATCH MESSAGE BEFORE I TAKE MY REST BREAK.

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.