Dispatcher realizes too late that a flight -- originally dispatched with no alternate -- in fact req...

Attributes
ACN	775811
Time
Date	200802
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Weather Elements	Snow Ice
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
ASRS Report	775811
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Flight departed the gate approximately 30 mins late due to cvg WX; but did not need an alternate until after XA00Z. Deicing in cvg took 2 hours 27 mins and that made the flight illegal to depart without an alternate. I did not notice the discrepancy until the flight was more than 1/2 way to their destination. I also knew that the flight had used most; if not all; of their extra fuel taxiing. I did not realize my mistake at the time due to all the irregular operations going on at the time. I would have never imagined that we would take delays of over 2 hours here in cvg during a relatively minor snow event. I have been with the company for over 10 yrs and our winter operations crew has yet to figure out how to deice planes in a timely manner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER REALIZES TOO LATE THAT A FLT -- ORIGINALLY DISPATCHED WITH NO ALTERNATE -- IN FACT REQUIRED ONE BY THE TIME LENGTHY DE-ICING WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE FLT FINALLY GOT AIRBORNE.

Narrative: FLT DEPARTED THE GATE APPROX 30 MINS LATE DUE TO CVG WX; BUT DID NOT NEED AN ALTERNATE UNTIL AFTER XA00Z. DEICING IN CVG TOOK 2 HRS 27 MINS AND THAT MADE THE FLT ILLEGAL TO DEPART WITHOUT AN ALTERNATE. I DID NOT NOTICE THE DISCREPANCY UNTIL THE FLT WAS MORE THAN 1/2 WAY TO THEIR DEST. I ALSO KNEW THAT THE FLT HAD USED MOST; IF NOT ALL; OF THEIR EXTRA FUEL TAXIING. I DID NOT REALIZE MY MISTAKE AT THE TIME DUE TO ALL THE IRREGULAR OPS GOING ON AT THE TIME. I WOULD HAVE NEVER IMAGINED THAT WE WOULD TAKE DELAYS OF OVER 2 HRS HERE IN CVG DURING A RELATIVELY MINOR SNOW EVENT. I HAVE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY FOR OVER 10 YRS AND OUR WINTER OPS CREW HAS YET TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEICE PLANES IN A TIMELY MANNER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Dispatcher realizes too late that a flight -- originally dispatched with no alternate -- in fact required one by the time lengthy de-icing was accomplished and the flight finally got airborne.