Narrative:

On jan/xa/99 flight left fll for ind with day at the alternate. Passenger were chicago bound but poor WX and dispatch decided ind was the best destination. Upon arriving overhead ind, dispatch advised us to proceed to day because they were too busy to accept us at ind, even though the WX was very good. I landed at day and attempted to locate FBO for flight servicing. To our surprise there was not an FBO or any other FBO on the field like dispatch had told us. For the next 2 1/2 hours we (crew of 3) with the aid of the tower, tried to contact dispatch. Twice, while using passenger cell phones, I reached dispatch and was put on hold. Batteries finally ran low in both phones. With the help of an airport policeman we found a fuel truck and took on fuel to total 33000 pounds. Day tower and flight service had received no messages from dispatch. After considering all options and a lengthy discussion with crew members, I decided to fly the 20 min leg back to ind. Having no communications with our company and no ground support, I felt this aircraft was in a less than safe environment. After almost 3 hours on the ground at day, we checked WX, filed a flight plan, and completed all forms and checklists for a flight to ind. I carefully considered the possibility of staying put but the thought of an APU fire or shutdown, a medical problem or any type of ground emergency led me to the decision -- get these people to a safe environment -- ind. Flight operated normally back to ind, arriving safely 6+ hours after its fll departure. This flight was dispatched using captain's emergency authority/authorized in lieu of a company dispatch release.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 PIC DECIDES TO PERFORM A TKOF FROM DAY WITHOUT A DISPATCH RELEASE. THE FLT HAD LANDED DAY, THE ALTERNATE, AND FOUND NO PAX SVCS AVAILABLE, UNABLE TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WITH DISPATCHER.

Narrative: ON JAN/XA/99 FLT LEFT FLL FOR IND WITH DAY AT THE ALTERNATE. PAX WERE CHICAGO BOUND BUT POOR WX AND DISPATCH DECIDED IND WAS THE BEST DEST. UPON ARRIVING OVERHEAD IND, DISPATCH ADVISED US TO PROCEED TO DAY BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO BUSY TO ACCEPT US AT IND, EVEN THOUGH THE WX WAS VERY GOOD. I LANDED AT DAY AND ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE FBO FOR FLT SVCING. TO OUR SURPRISE THERE WAS NOT AN FBO OR ANY OTHER FBO ON THE FIELD LIKE DISPATCH HAD TOLD US. FOR THE NEXT 2 1/2 HRS WE (CREW OF 3) WITH THE AID OF THE TWR, TRIED TO CONTACT DISPATCH. TWICE, WHILE USING PAX CELL PHONES, I REACHED DISPATCH AND WAS PUT ON HOLD. BATTERIES FINALLY RAN LOW IN BOTH PHONES. WITH THE HELP OF AN ARPT POLICEMAN WE FOUND A FUEL TRUCK AND TOOK ON FUEL TO TOTAL 33000 LBS. DAY TWR AND FLT SVC HAD RECEIVED NO MESSAGES FROM DISPATCH. AFTER CONSIDERING ALL OPTIONS AND A LENGTHY DISCUSSION WITH CREW MEMBERS, I DECIDED TO FLY THE 20 MIN LEG BACK TO IND. HAVING NO COMS WITH OUR COMPANY AND NO GND SUPPORT, I FELT THIS ACFT WAS IN A LESS THAN SAFE ENVIRONMENT. AFTER ALMOST 3 HRS ON THE GND AT DAY, WE CHKED WX, FILED A FLT PLAN, AND COMPLETED ALL FORMS AND CHKLISTS FOR A FLT TO IND. I CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THE POSSIBILITY OF STAYING PUT BUT THE THOUGHT OF AN APU FIRE OR SHUTDOWN, A MEDICAL PROB OR ANY TYPE OF GND EMER LED ME TO THE DECISION -- GET THESE PEOPLE TO A SAFE ENVIRONMENT -- IND. FLT OPERATED NORMALLY BACK TO IND, ARRIVING SAFELY 6+ HRS AFTER ITS FLL DEP. THIS FLT WAS DISPATCHED USING CAPT'S EMER AUTH IN LIEU OF A COMPANY DISPATCH RELEASE.

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.