Narrative:

Took off on a flight, ord-pia-spi. WX en route and destination IFR, fog, rain. Pilot fatigue a major factor. Dispatcher eagerness to dispatch the flight on time also a problem. The WX at first destination (pia), IFR. First alternate also IFR required second alternate. I did have a second alternate, but the winds at forecasted destination time were just at the outside of aircraft limitation. The second alternate winds at current time were legal and ok for use. The alternates used for the second half of the flight were the same except first alternate was changed since WX improved greatly. See below: flight #1--ord direct pia, alternate #1 spi ok, alternate #2 dec ?. Flight #2 pia direct spi, alternate #1 pia ok, alternate #2 dec ?. Using dec as second alternate. Current winds were 190 at 12, ILS 6. Limitation ok. At destination (or ETA) time, forecasted winds were 280 at 15. These winds may have exceeded tailwind conditions for landing. Both flts landed at destination west/O occurrence. Cause: long duty hours, pilot fatigue, dispatcher's inadequacies, and unable to do his job. We are constantly receiving bad releases. Commuters twisting and different interpretations of duty times and far's. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: when reporter notes an error in dispatch release, he makes a copy and forwards it to his chief pilot for action. Because of the many legs on a sequence it is necessary to doublechk the release and insure everything is legal. Dispatchers are coming and going with his carrier, just as are flight crews. Keeps him on his toes. So far has received no feedback from the chief pilot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT RELEASE FAILED TO MEET FEDERAL AVIATION REG'S REQUIREMENTS FOR ALTERNATES. CAUGHT BY CAPT BEFORE DEP.

Narrative: TOOK OFF ON A FLT, ORD-PIA-SPI. WX ENRTE AND DEST IFR, FOG, RAIN. PLT FATIGUE A MAJOR FACTOR. DISPATCHER EAGERNESS TO DISPATCH THE FLT ON TIME ALSO A PROB. THE WX AT FIRST DEST (PIA), IFR. FIRST ALTERNATE ALSO IFR REQUIRED SECOND ALTERNATE. I DID HAVE A SECOND ALTERNATE, BUT THE WINDS AT FORECASTED DEST TIME WERE JUST AT THE OUTSIDE OF ACFT LIMITATION. THE SECOND ALTERNATE WINDS AT CURRENT TIME WERE LEGAL AND OK FOR USE. THE ALTERNATES USED FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE FLT WERE THE SAME EXCEPT FIRST ALTERNATE WAS CHANGED SINCE WX IMPROVED GREATLY. SEE BELOW: FLT #1--ORD DIRECT PIA, ALTERNATE #1 SPI OK, ALTERNATE #2 DEC ?. FLT #2 PIA DIRECT SPI, ALTERNATE #1 PIA OK, ALTERNATE #2 DEC ?. USING DEC AS SECOND ALTERNATE. CURRENT WINDS WERE 190 AT 12, ILS 6. LIMITATION OK. AT DEST (OR ETA) TIME, FORECASTED WINDS WERE 280 AT 15. THESE WINDS MAY HAVE EXCEEDED TAILWIND CONDITIONS FOR LNDG. BOTH FLTS LANDED AT DEST W/O OCCURRENCE. CAUSE: LONG DUTY HRS, PLT FATIGUE, DISPATCHER'S INADEQUACIES, AND UNABLE TO DO HIS JOB. WE ARE CONSTANTLY RECEIVING BAD RELEASES. COMMUTERS TWISTING AND DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS OF DUTY TIMES AND FAR'S. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: WHEN RPTR NOTES AN ERROR IN DISPATCH RELEASE, HE MAKES A COPY AND FORWARDS IT TO HIS CHIEF PLT FOR ACTION. BECAUSE OF THE MANY LEGS ON A SEQUENCE IT IS NECESSARY TO DOUBLECHK THE RELEASE AND INSURE EVERYTHING IS LEGAL. DISPATCHERS ARE COMING AND GOING WITH HIS CARRIER, JUST AS ARE FLT CREWS. KEEPS HIM ON HIS TOES. SO FAR HAS RECEIVED NO FEEDBACK FROM THE CHIEF PLT.

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