A B767 FLC NOTED THAT THE WX FORECAST FOR THEIR DEST ARPT WAS NOT ACCURATE. THEY HAD TO DIVERT TO RFD FOR FUEL BECAUSE OF TFC DELAYS DUE TO TSTM ACTIVITY OVER IND; IN.
Synopsis
A B767 FLC NOTED THAT THE WX FORECAST FOR THEIR DEST ARPT WAS NOT ACCURATE. THEY HAD TO DIVERT TO RFD FOR FUEL BECAUSE OF TFC DELAYS DUE TO TSTM ACTIVITY OVER IND; IN.
Narrative
FLT PLANNED ON AN INBOUND LEG FROM DEN TO IND (SINGLE SEGMENT). WX AND FORECAST FOR IND AT THAT TIME INDICATED VFR ON ARR. FLT PLAN HAD NO HOLD OR ALTERNATE FUEL. ABOUT 1.5 HRS OUT FROM IND WE CHKED ATIS AND THERE WAS A TSTM OVER THE ARPT. IMMEDIATELY SENT A MESSAGE TO DISPATCH ASKING WHERE THAT TSTM WAS AND WHICH DIRECTION IT WAS MOVING. THERE WAS A QUICK RESPONSE FROM DISPATCH; A NEW DISPATCHER; WITH AN APOLOGY. WE WERE ADVISED THAT AN ORIGINAL DISPATCHER MISSED A CHANGE IN FORECAST AND THAT WE WERE THE ONLY FLT THAT WAS FLYING TOWARDS IND WITH NO FUEL TO HOLD AND FLY TO AN ALTERNATE. AS WE DECIDED TO FLY AT FL370 TO CONSERVE FUEL (INSTEAD OF FL290 AS PER FLT PLAN) WE HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO ARRIVE AT IND WITH ABOUT 9000 LBS; ENOUGH TO DIVERT TO ORD IF NECESSARY. I USED ACARS TO INFORM DISPATCH ABOUT OUR FUEL STATE AND HE SUGGESTED WE DIVERT TO ORD. I WAS AFRAID TO GET STUCK AT ORD AND SUGGESTED MKE. DISPATCH CAME BACK WITH RFD. I HAVE NOT BEEN TO RFD; BUT IT LOOKED LIKE A GOOD PLACE TO GET FUEL WITH LITTLE OR NO DELAY. DISPATCHER ASKED US TO DIVERT FROM PRESENT POS AS THE WX WAS STATIONARY OVER IND WITH NO IMMEDIATE CHANGE EXPECTED AND THE ARPT CLOSED FOR ARRS. ARR; SVC; AND DEP FROM RFD WAS QUICK AND BY THE TIME WE GOT TO IND; ARPT HAD OPENED.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.