Narrative:

On apr/tue/02, 10 flts for air carrier departed for destination with invalid WX metars on the flts' WX briefing. At approximately XA00Z, cpr contracted WX service provider's main computer server malfunctioned and failed to transmit current hourly metars to air carrier flight control department. This malfunction went unnoticed for approximately 4 hours due to excessive workload, operational difficulties and understaffing of dispatchers in flight control department. It is my belief the root cause of this event is not only the malfunction of the wsi computer, but also the reality of excessive workload, minimal support for the dispatcher group, inferior computer equipment, and inexperience, under trained personnel all led to these events. The FAA and government safety departments should establish an acceptable number of flts that 1 dispatcher can maintain operational control over, and the amount of attention that needs to be given to each flight. This can only be achieved by some kind of FAA oversight, because the airlines are unwilling to establish this due to low revenue, budget constraints, etc.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT DISPATCH DEPT ALLOWED 11 FLTS TO DEPART WITH ILLEGAL AND MISSING WX INFO PROVIDED BY A CONTRACT WX SVC PROVIDER.

Narrative: ON APR/TUE/02, 10 FLTS FOR ACR DEPARTED FOR DEST WITH INVALID WX METARS ON THE FLTS' WX BRIEFING. AT APPROX XA00Z, CPR CONTRACTED WX SVC PROVIDER'S MAIN COMPUTER SERVER MALFUNCTIONED AND FAILED TO XMIT CURRENT HRLY METARS TO ACR FLT CTL DEPT. THIS MALFUNCTION WENT UNNOTICED FOR APPROX 4 HRS DUE TO EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD, OPERATIONAL DIFFICULTIES AND UNDERSTAFFING OF DISPATCHERS IN FLT CTL DEPT. IT IS MY BELIEF THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS EVENT IS NOT ONLY THE MALFUNCTION OF THE WSI COMPUTER, BUT ALSO THE REALITY OF EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD, MINIMAL SUPPORT FOR THE DISPATCHER GROUP, INFERIOR COMPUTER EQUIP, AND INEXPERIENCE, UNDER TRAINED PERSONNEL ALL LED TO THESE EVENTS. THE FAA AND GOV SAFETY DEPTS SHOULD ESTABLISH AN ACCEPTABLE NUMBER OF FLTS THAT 1 DISPATCHER CAN MAINTAIN OPERATIONAL CTL OVER, AND THE AMOUNT OF ATTN THAT NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TO EACH FLT. THIS CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED BY SOME KIND OF FAA OVERSIGHT, BECAUSE THE AIRLINES ARE UNWILLING TO ESTABLISH THIS DUE TO LOW REVENUE, BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, ETC.

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.