Narrative:

I released (dispatched) aircraft flight ord-lax. Near departure time I received notice there was an aircraft change. I sent a new flight release, but I failed to notice an open MEL item. The open item was a #2 center tank boost pump inoperative. That required any center tank fuel to be structural check fuel and included in the zero fuel weight. I was and had been busy monitoring and updating other flts I was responsible for about en route and destination WX conditions. Approximately 30-45 mins after the flight departed I was monitoring this flight and I noted that the flight had an open MEL item. I made a second check and it was concurred. I read through the MEL and was familiar with it. I checked the flight's weight manifest and fuel distribution sheet. The aircraft was planned with 4600 pounds of center tank fuel that was to be included in the zero fuel weight calculation. I noted the aircraft's finalized zero fuel weight plus the 4600 pounds of center tank fuel when combined didn't exceed the maximum allowable zero fuel weight of the aircraft. Nevertheless, at the point of dispatch (start of takeoff roll), the flight weight manifest was not correct to reflect the 4600 pounds of structural check fuel. Even though I am not responsible for calculating or finalizing the weight manifest, I am responsible for contacting the air carrier load planner for that flight and alerting them to the structural check fuel and of any possible weight penalty or fuel penalties to apply. This MEL item is not one I am unfamiliar with and am very proficient in its application. In this event, I should not have been hurried and missed this item. It is assured I will be much more careful in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER NOTICED AFTER FLT HAD DEPARTED WHEN THE FLT MANIFEST DID NOT PROPERLY NOTE THE CTR FUEL TANK STORAGE AS PART OF THE ZERO FUEL WT ONLY DURING TKOF SINCE IT WAS CONSIDERED STRUCTURAL FUEL WT ONLY DUE TO THE TANK FUEL BOOST PUMP BEING MEL'ED.

Narrative: I RELEASED (DISPATCHED) ACFT FLT ORD-LAX. NEAR DEP TIME I RECEIVED NOTICE THERE WAS AN ACFT CHANGE. I SENT A NEW FLT RELEASE, BUT I FAILED TO NOTICE AN OPEN MEL ITEM. THE OPEN ITEM WAS A #2 CTR TANK BOOST PUMP INOP. THAT REQUIRED ANY CTR TANK FUEL TO BE STRUCTURAL CHK FUEL AND INCLUDED IN THE ZERO FUEL WT. I WAS AND HAD BEEN BUSY MONITORING AND UPDATING OTHER FLTS I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT ENRTE AND DEST WX CONDITIONS. APPROX 30-45 MINS AFTER THE FLT DEPARTED I WAS MONITORING THIS FLT AND I NOTED THAT THE FLT HAD AN OPEN MEL ITEM. I MADE A SECOND CHK AND IT WAS CONCURRED. I READ THROUGH THE MEL AND WAS FAMILIAR WITH IT. I CHKED THE FLT'S WT MANIFEST AND FUEL DISTRIBUTION SHEET. THE ACFT WAS PLANNED WITH 4600 LBS OF CTR TANK FUEL THAT WAS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE ZERO FUEL WT CALCULATION. I NOTED THE ACFT'S FINALIZED ZERO FUEL WT PLUS THE 4600 LBS OF CTR TANK FUEL WHEN COMBINED DIDN'T EXCEED THE MAX ALLOWABLE ZERO FUEL WT OF THE ACFT. NEVERTHELESS, AT THE POINT OF DISPATCH (START OF TKOF ROLL), THE FLT WT MANIFEST WAS NOT CORRECT TO REFLECT THE 4600 LBS OF STRUCTURAL CHK FUEL. EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CALCULATING OR FINALIZING THE WT MANIFEST, I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTACTING THE ACR LOAD PLANNER FOR THAT FLT AND ALERTING THEM TO THE STRUCTURAL CHK FUEL AND OF ANY POSSIBLE WT PENALTY OR FUEL PENALTIES TO APPLY. THIS MEL ITEM IS NOT ONE I AM UNFAMILIAR WITH AND AM VERY PROFICIENT IN ITS APPLICATION. IN THIS EVENT, I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN HURRIED AND MISSED THIS ITEM. IT IS ASSURED I WILL BE MUCH MORE CAREFUL IN THE FUTURE.

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.