B727 flight crew is dispatched to a destination with inclement WX and no alternate designated.

Attributes
ACN	521600
Time
Date	200108
Day	Wed
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Flight Phase	climbout : initial cruise : level descent : approach ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other pilot : private technician : airframe technician : powerplant
ASRS Report	521600
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was the dispatcher for flight on aug/wed/01 and shared responsibility with the captain for the safe conduct of the flight in accordance with far's 121.627, 121.631, and 121.557. The scheduled departure time was XD20Z. The XA30Z NWS forecast had problem 40 0004 5SM-tsra. The news amended the forecast for tvl at XD48Z to tempo XF02 5 SM-tsra, overcast 040 'circuit breaker.' the scheduled arrival time was XG35Z. I missed the revised forecast and allowed the aircraft to depart without an alternate and only 35 mins of contingency fuel. In the 30-40 mins prior to departure the WX radar began to show rain coalescing into thunderstorms in the vicinity of tvl. During the next hour these thunderstorms continued to build. I decided to contact the flight when it was in the vicinity of little rock. By that time thunderstorms had shut down the field at tvl. I should have stopped the flight and advised the captain to off land at lit, but I allowed the operation to continue. As the flight continued, I decided in concurrence with the captain to divert to okc. At that time there were thunderstorms in the vicinity of okc. Had okc closed, I would have had inadequate fuel to make ict or dfw without declaring an emergency, and utilizing far reserve fuel. I should have been more proactive and assertive to ensure more viable options for the conclusion of this flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLT CREW IS DISPATCHED TO A DEST WITH INCLEMENT WX AND NO ALTERNATE DESIGNATED.

Narrative: I WAS THE DISPATCHER FOR FLT ON AUG/WED/01 AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE CAPT FOR THE SAFE CONDUCT OF THE FLT IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR'S 121.627, 121.631, AND 121.557. THE SCHEDULED DEP TIME WAS XD20Z. THE XA30Z NWS FORECAST HAD PROB 40 0004 5SM-TSRA. THE NEWS AMENDED THE FORECAST FOR TVL AT XD48Z TO TEMPO XF02 5 SM-TSRA, OVCST 040 'CB.' THE SCHEDULED ARR TIME WAS XG35Z. I MISSED THE REVISED FORECAST AND ALLOWED THE ACFT TO DEPART WITHOUT AN ALTERNATE AND ONLY 35 MINS OF CONTINGENCY FUEL. IN THE 30-40 MINS PRIOR TO DEP THE WX RADAR BEGAN TO SHOW RAIN COALESCING INTO TSTMS IN THE VICINITY OF TVL. DURING THE NEXT HR THESE TSTMS CONTINUED TO BUILD. I DECIDED TO CONTACT THE FLT WHEN IT WAS IN THE VICINITY OF LITTLE ROCK. BY THAT TIME TSTMS HAD SHUT DOWN THE FIELD AT TVL. I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED THE FLT AND ADVISED THE CAPT TO OFF LAND AT LIT, BUT I ALLOWED THE OP TO CONTINUE. AS THE FLT CONTINUED, I DECIDED IN CONCURRENCE WITH THE CAPT TO DIVERT TO OKC. AT THAT TIME THERE WERE TSTMS IN THE VICINITY OF OKC. HAD OKC CLOSED, I WOULD HAVE HAD INADEQUATE FUEL TO MAKE ICT OR DFW WITHOUT DECLARING AN EMER, AND UTILIZING FAR RESERVE FUEL. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PROACTIVE AND ASSERTIVE TO ENSURE MORE VIABLE OPTIONS FOR THE CONCLUSION OF THIS FLT.

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.