2 DISPATCHERS RPT THAT SAFETY OF THEIR FLTS MAY HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED WHEN THEY ARE ORDERED OUT OF THEIR BUILDING FOR A THEN UNDETERMINED REASON. A SINGLE MGR ATTEMPTED TO RUN THE DISPATCH OP DURING THE EVAC.

Date: 2004-06

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|other-temporary-loss-of-dispatch-ability

Synopsis

2 DISPATCHERS RPT THAT SAFETY OF THEIR FLTS MAY HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED WHEN THEY ARE ORDERED OUT OF THEIR BUILDING FOR A THEN UNDETERMINED REASON. A SINGLE MGR ATTEMPTED TO RUN THE DISPATCH OP DURING THE EVAC.

Narrative

ALL DISPATCHERS IN THE BUILDING AND ON SHIFT; WERE ORDERED TO LEAVE OUR ASSIGNED DUTY AREA DUE TO A POSSIBLE FIRE IN THE ANNEX CONNECTING OUR BUILDING. PROB WAS FOUND TO BE A SMOKEY ELEVATOR MOTOR. ONLY 1 MGR REMAINED IN DISPATCH AREA ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL DOMESTIC/INTL FLTS AND ISSUED SEVERAL AMENDMENTS. MANY OF THESE FLTS WERE IN PROGRESS ALREADY. WITHOUT PROPER BRIEFING AS TO WX CONDITIONS AT DEST OR ENRTE; OR RESTRICTIVE MEL ITEMS ON THE ACFT. NO CALL WAS EVER MADE TO THE NATIONAL COMMAND CTR OR ANY ATC FACILITY ADVISING WE WERE IN A POTENTIAL EMER SIT OR REQUESTING A GND STOP ON ALL COMPANY FLTS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO OF ACN 622651: THE HEAD MGMNT PERSON TOLD EVERYONE TO 'EVALUATE THE OFFICE' AND GO TO THE COMPANY PRE-DETERMINED 'SAFE' SPOT OUTSIDE. NO REASON WAS GIVEN. IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE SUPVR ON THE FLOOR AND ASKED IF WE WERE ATC GND STOPPING FLTS AND PUTTING AIRBORNE FLTS ON THE GND? I DID NOT GET A RESPONSE AND WENT BACK TO MY DESK. I HAD 8 ACFT IN THE AIR. I WAS FLT FOLLOWING AND PLANNING ABOUT 38 FLTS. AT THAT POINT I WAS TOLD BY MGMNT TO 'LEAVE THE BUILDING NOW.' WHILE STANDING OUTSIDE I SAW 3 OF OUR ACFT DEPART. 'WHO IS WATCHING THE STORE?' APPROX 30-40 MINS LATER WE WERE ALLOWED BACK INTO DISPATCH WHERE I FOUND OUT ONE MGMNT DISPATCHER HAD WATCHED THE ENTIRE WORLDWIDE OP. THIS COMPANY NEEDS A BETTER PLAN IN PLACE AND NEXT TIME; I'M NOT LEAVING MY DESK WITH PLANES IN THE AIR. THE EMER WAS AN OVERHEATED ELEVATOR MOTOR WHICH TRIPPED A FIRE ALARM 3 FLOORS ABOVE US.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.