Dispatcher report of too much reroute radio traffic because of WX situation in the areas southeast o...

Attributes
ACN	390955
Time
Date	199801
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	landing other other climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	390955
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Unmanageable workload. Due to the number of flts inbound to dfw from the southeast, it became apparent that due to the sheer volume of radio traffic that the reroutes given to the flts would not be able to be dealt with effectively due to a routing from rou to dfw. For example, over iah it was apparent there wasn't sufficient fuel to complete these flts. With the other routine radio traffic that had to be dealt with, several flts were in jeopardy of not getting relevant WX data for terminal and en route WX as well to dfw. As a result of the overloaded situation, several flts diverted that may have been more effectively dealt with had there been time with lesser number of flts. As a result there was very little operational control for the period from approximately XX00Z till shift end at XZ00Z. And from conversations with the relieving dispatcher, it continued for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours after she arrived. Between the hours of XY00 and XZ00Z, I asked if extra dispatchers were being brought in to help with the workload. The answer given was 'no.' the request was made to the two sector mgrs on duty.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER RPT OF TOO MUCH REROUTE RADIO TFC BECAUSE OF WX SIT IN THE AREAS SE OF DFW. DISPATCH DEPT LOST OPERATIONAL CTL OF THE SIT. ADDITIONAL RELIEF DISPATCHERS WERE NOT GRANTED FOR ASSISTANCE.

Narrative: UNMANAGEABLE WORKLOAD. DUE TO THE NUMBER OF FLTS INBOUND TO DFW FROM THE SE, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT DUE TO THE SHEER VOLUME OF RADIO TFC THAT THE REROUTES GIVEN TO THE FLTS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE DEALT WITH EFFECTIVELY DUE TO A ROUTING FROM ROU TO DFW. FOR EXAMPLE, OVER IAH IT WAS APPARENT THERE WASN'T SUFFICIENT FUEL TO COMPLETE THESE FLTS. WITH THE OTHER ROUTINE RADIO TFC THAT HAD TO BE DEALT WITH, SEVERAL FLTS WERE IN JEOPARDY OF NOT GETTING RELEVANT WX DATA FOR TERMINAL AND ENRTE WX AS WELL TO DFW. AS A RESULT OF THE OVERLOADED SIT, SEVERAL FLTS DIVERTED THAT MAY HAVE BEEN MORE EFFECTIVELY DEALT WITH HAD THERE BEEN TIME WITH LESSER NUMBER OF FLTS. AS A RESULT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE OPERATIONAL CTL FOR THE PERIOD FROM APPROX XX00Z TILL SHIFT END AT XZ00Z. AND FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH THE RELIEVING DISPATCHER, IT CONTINUED FOR 1 1/2 HRS TO 2 HRS AFTER SHE ARRIVED. BTWN THE HRS OF XY00 AND XZ00Z, I ASKED IF EXTRA DISPATCHERS WERE BEING BROUGHT IN TO HELP WITH THE WORKLOAD. THE ANSWER GIVEN WAS 'NO.' THE REQUEST WAS MADE TO THE TWO SECTOR MGRS ON DUTY.

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.

Dispatcher report of too much reroute radio traffic because of WX situation in the areas southeast of dfw. Dispatch department lost operational control of the situation. Additional relief dispatchers were not granted for assistance.