Narrative:

I released the previous dispatcher on sep/sun/03 at XA00Z. He told me that he sent 2 ACARS messages to flight ric-dfw. I did not receive an acknowledgement from either message. I attempted several times to contact ric operations to advise them of the fuel increase but there was no answer. Due to hurricane that impacted the area, ACARS capability and the phone lines were not operational. Contacting the flight via commercial radio was not an option since they are not able to reach a flight when it is on the ground. The flight departed at XA25Z. The captain realized that the fuel amount was incorrect when he received his closeout weight manifest through ric operations. He returned to the gate and called dispatch via his cell phone. I advised the captain of the new release fuel and made the appropriate update to the release. The flight was fueled and then departed for dfw.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REMOTE DISPATCHER IS UNABLE TO CONTACT FLT REGARDING INCREASE IN REQUIRED FUEL FOR RELEASE. NO LANDLINE OR RADIO LINK DUE TO HURRICANE DAMAGE.

Narrative: I RELEASED THE PREVIOUS DISPATCHER ON SEP/SUN/03 AT XA00Z. HE TOLD ME THAT HE SENT 2 ACARS MESSAGES TO FLT RIC-DFW. I DID NOT RECEIVE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM EITHER MESSAGE. I ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES TO CONTACT RIC OPS TO ADVISE THEM OF THE FUEL INCREASE BUT THERE WAS NO ANSWER. DUE TO HURRICANE THAT IMPACTED THE AREA, ACARS CAPABILITY AND THE PHONE LINES WERE NOT OPERATIONAL. CONTACTING THE FLT VIA COMMERCIAL RADIO WAS NOT AN OPTION SINCE THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO REACH A FLT WHEN IT IS ON THE GND. THE FLT DEPARTED AT XA25Z. THE CAPT REALIZED THAT THE FUEL AMOUNT WAS INCORRECT WHEN HE RECEIVED HIS CLOSEOUT WT MANIFEST THROUGH RIC OPS. HE RETURNED TO THE GATE AND CALLED DISPATCH VIA HIS CELL PHONE. I ADVISED THE CAPT OF THE NEW RELEASE FUEL AND MADE THE APPROPRIATE UPDATE TO THE RELEASE. THE FLT WAS FUELED AND THEN DEPARTED FOR DFW.

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.