Company dispatcher made a mistake in redispatching an aircraft with a speed limitation due to an MEL...

Attributes
ACN	422216
Time
Date	199812
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	422216
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On dec/xb/98 I was made aware of an error I made while planning scheduled service from cle to phl. I was the dispatcher planning the B737 on dec/xa/98. The plane was originally planned to fly cle-lax. However, during my flight planning, I discovered that MEL was placarded on this particular flight. This limits the speed to mach .65 above FL200 and would make this flight late. After notifying the operations manager of the situation, the decision was made to move that to a shorter trip. It was then scheduled for flight cle-phl. In my work to replan the flight, I made the changes for the new flight, but failed to restrict the speed. Thus releasing the flight in violation of the MEL restr. Prior to the flight departing, maintenance corrected the problem and the MEL was removed. The relieving dispatcher verbally amended the release with the captain removing the MEL and the restr. The flight operated having not violated any MEL restr or far. I am fully aware of the safety involved in the MEL restrs and the importance of planning each flight accordingly. I will make every effort to check and doublechk my flight plans to ensure this does not occur again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPANY DISPATCHER MADE A MISTAKE IN REDISPATCHING AN ACFT WITH A SPD LIMITATION DUE TO AN MEL ITEM WHEN HE FORGOT TO INCLUDE THE RESTR IN THE DISPATCH RELEASE. HOWEVER, COMPANY MAINT PERSONNEL WERE ABLE TO FIX THE MEL AND REMOVE THE RESTR PRIOR TO FLT.

Narrative: ON DEC/XB/98 I WAS MADE AWARE OF AN ERROR I MADE WHILE PLANNING SCHEDULED SVC FROM CLE TO PHL. I WAS THE DISPATCHER PLANNING THE B737 ON DEC/XA/98. THE PLANE WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO FLY CLE-LAX. HOWEVER, DURING MY FLT PLANNING, I DISCOVERED THAT MEL WAS PLACARDED ON THIS PARTICULAR FLT. THIS LIMITS THE SPD TO MACH .65 ABOVE FL200 AND WOULD MAKE THIS FLT LATE. AFTER NOTIFYING THE OPS MGR OF THE SIT, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MOVE THAT TO A SHORTER TRIP. IT WAS THEN SCHEDULED FOR FLT CLE-PHL. IN MY WORK TO REPLAN THE FLT, I MADE THE CHANGES FOR THE NEW FLT, BUT FAILED TO RESTRICT THE SPD. THUS RELEASING THE FLT IN VIOLATION OF THE MEL RESTR. PRIOR TO THE FLT DEPARTING, MAINT CORRECTED THE PROB AND THE MEL WAS REMOVED. THE RELIEVING DISPATCHER VERBALLY AMENDED THE RELEASE WITH THE CAPT REMOVING THE MEL AND THE RESTR. THE FLT OPERATED HAVING NOT VIOLATED ANY MEL RESTR OR FAR. I AM FULLY AWARE OF THE SAFETY INVOLVED IN THE MEL RESTRS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING EACH FLT ACCORDINGLY. I WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO CHK AND DOUBLECHK MY FLT PLANS TO ENSURE THIS DOES NOT OCCUR AGAIN.

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.

Company dispatcher made a mistake in redispatching an aircraft with a speed limitation due to an MEL item when he forgot to include the restr in the dispatch release. However, company maintenance personnel were able to fix the MEL and remove the restr prior to flight.