Narrative:

The flight was scheduled to depart at XA55Z. I had planned the flight without an alternate. The new forecast was issued at XA42Z but I did not see it until about XA50Z. I ran several flight plans quickly but could not find an alternate within the fuel range of the plane with the fuel load that was on board. So I added an alternate and sent the flight plan to the airplane at about XC00Z. I checked to see if the flight was still on the ground and the computer indicated that they were. So I sent a message to the crew requesting they return to the gate for fuel. To my surprise, the crew responded on the radio that they were off and passing through 6000 ft. When I checked the computer again, now it was showing them off the ground at XC01Z. I then deleted all of the hold fuel so the airplane fuel load could be used to go to the alternate. Actually we had about 1.1 extra fuel after using the closest alternate. I think this was safe because the condition requiring an alternate was temporary, 35M -RA br overcast 15. Nonetheless, the aircraft did depart without the required alternate. I think I may need to add an alternate when none is required to airplanes departing in the XA00Z-XB20Z hours. This is when all the forecasts come in. On my desk I watch 7 airports (not counting alternates). It would be really helpful if the forecasts were not all published at the same time, but scattered over a 1-2 hour period.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPANY DISPATCHER INADVERTENTLY DISPATCHED A B737 WITHOUT REQUIRED ALTERNATE ARPT FLT PLANNED AND SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR HOLDING AT DEST PRIOR TO GOING TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS SCHEDULED TO DEPART AT XA55Z. I HAD PLANNED THE FLT WITHOUT AN ALTERNATE. THE NEW FORECAST WAS ISSUED AT XA42Z BUT I DID NOT SEE IT UNTIL ABOUT XA50Z. I RAN SEVERAL FLT PLANS QUICKLY BUT COULD NOT FIND AN ALTERNATE WITHIN THE FUEL RANGE OF THE PLANE WITH THE FUEL LOAD THAT WAS ON BOARD. SO I ADDED AN ALTERNATE AND SENT THE FLT PLAN TO THE AIRPLANE AT ABOUT XC00Z. I CHKED TO SEE IF THE FLT WAS STILL ON THE GND AND THE COMPUTER INDICATED THAT THEY WERE. SO I SENT A MESSAGE TO THE CREW REQUESTING THEY RETURN TO THE GATE FOR FUEL. TO MY SURPRISE, THE CREW RESPONDED ON THE RADIO THAT THEY WERE OFF AND PASSING THROUGH 6000 FT. WHEN I CHKED THE COMPUTER AGAIN, NOW IT WAS SHOWING THEM OFF THE GND AT XC01Z. I THEN DELETED ALL OF THE HOLD FUEL SO THE AIRPLANE FUEL LOAD COULD BE USED TO GO TO THE ALTERNATE. ACTUALLY WE HAD ABOUT 1.1 EXTRA FUEL AFTER USING THE CLOSEST ALTERNATE. I THINK THIS WAS SAFE BECAUSE THE CONDITION REQUIRING AN ALTERNATE WAS TEMPORARY, 35M -RA BR OVCST 15. NONETHELESS, THE ACFT DID DEPART WITHOUT THE REQUIRED ALTERNATE. I THINK I MAY NEED TO ADD AN ALTERNATE WHEN NONE IS REQUIRED TO AIRPLANES DEPARTING IN THE XA00Z-XB20Z HRS. THIS IS WHEN ALL THE FORECASTS COME IN. ON MY DESK I WATCH 7 ARPTS (NOT COUNTING ALTERNATES). IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IF THE FORECASTS WERE NOT ALL PUBLISHED AT THE SAME TIME, BUT SCATTERED OVER A 1-2 HR PERIOD.

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.