Narrative:

It was the end of (another) 10-hour shift. A number of dispatchers; including myself; along with the dispatch supervisor; were all chasing times for flts. Undoubtedly; I became distraction; and managed to generate and then send a release that had no hold fuel; and only 32 pounds of extra fuel. I only discovered what I'd done when I was preparing to turn the flight over to one of the next shift people; since it was scheduled to land a good 1/2 hour after I was supposed to head for home. Suddenly I noticed; on the summary screen; the cleared fuel of '1787 pounds' where the ramp fuel figure would normally appear. This told me instantly that I had not so much as rounded up the computer's fuel calculation. At an absolute minimum; the figure should have been '1800 pounds.' however; having worked quite consciously to develop good fueling habits; and constantly expanding the list of factors I consider when I fuel; I almost never go below 2400 pounds on my saabs -- 2000 pounds is about my absolute lower limit; and only happens under 'special' circumstances. Clearly; I'd screwed up. I promptly informed the veteran dispatcher who had agreed to watch the flight and re-reviewed the fuel plan; which provided for 737 pounds of burn-off; 200 pounds to taxi out; 100 pounds to taxi back; and at least 800 pounds reserve. With perfect night VFR conditions; no ATC issues; and a mechanically sound; totally airworthy aircraft; it's hard to imagine any real jeopardy here -- it was more of a wake-up call to me essentially telling me distraction or not; exhausted or not; 'harassed' or not; never let up on the quality control; double-; triple-; quadruple-checking process.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER IS DISTRAUGHT TO DISCOVER HE HAD RELEASED A FLT WITH BARE MINIMUM FUEL REQUIRED WITHOUT NORMAL CONTINGENCY ALLOCATIONS.

Narrative: IT WAS THE END OF (ANOTHER) 10-HR SHIFT. A NUMBER OF DISPATCHERS; INCLUDING MYSELF; ALONG WITH THE DISPATCH SUPVR; WERE ALL CHASING TIMES FOR FLTS. UNDOUBTEDLY; I BECAME DISTR; AND MANAGED TO GENERATE AND THEN SEND A RELEASE THAT HAD NO HOLD FUEL; AND ONLY 32 LBS OF EXTRA FUEL. I ONLY DISCOVERED WHAT I'D DONE WHEN I WAS PREPARING TO TURN THE FLT OVER TO ONE OF THE NEXT SHIFT PEOPLE; SINCE IT WAS SCHEDULED TO LAND A GOOD 1/2 HR AFTER I WAS SUPPOSED TO HEAD FOR HOME. SUDDENLY I NOTICED; ON THE SUMMARY SCREEN; THE CLRED FUEL OF '1787 LBS' WHERE THE RAMP FUEL FIGURE WOULD NORMALLY APPEAR. THIS TOLD ME INSTANTLY THAT I HAD NOT SO MUCH AS ROUNDED UP THE COMPUTER'S FUEL CALCULATION. AT AN ABSOLUTE MINIMUM; THE FIGURE SHOULD HAVE BEEN '1800 LBS.' HOWEVER; HAVING WORKED QUITE CONSCIOUSLY TO DEVELOP GOOD FUELING HABITS; AND CONSTANTLY EXPANDING THE LIST OF FACTORS I CONSIDER WHEN I FUEL; I ALMOST NEVER GO BELOW 2400 LBS ON MY SAABS -- 2000 LBS IS ABOUT MY ABSOLUTE LOWER LIMIT; AND ONLY HAPPENS UNDER 'SPECIAL' CIRCUMSTANCES. CLRLY; I'D SCREWED UP. I PROMPTLY INFORMED THE VETERAN DISPATCHER WHO HAD AGREED TO WATCH THE FLT AND RE-REVIEWED THE FUEL PLAN; WHICH PROVIDED FOR 737 LBS OF BURN-OFF; 200 LBS TO TAXI OUT; 100 LBS TO TAXI BACK; AND AT LEAST 800 LBS RESERVE. WITH PERFECT NIGHT VFR CONDITIONS; NO ATC ISSUES; AND A MECHANICALLY SOUND; TOTALLY AIRWORTHY ACFT; IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE ANY REAL JEOPARDY HERE -- IT WAS MORE OF A WAKE-UP CALL TO ME ESSENTIALLY TELLING ME DISTR OR NOT; EXHAUSTED OR NOT; 'HARASSED' OR NOT; NEVER LET UP ON THE QUALITY CTL; DOUBLE-; TRIPLE-; QUADRUPLE-CHKING PROCESS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.