2008-08 · NASA ASRS report 797917
ACR DISPATCHER REPORTS COSTUMER SERVICE AGENT CONTACTING FLT CREW VIA ACARS REQUESTING THEIR INTENTIONS DURING WX DIVERSION.
FLT WAS IN A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT HAVING MADE THE DECISION TO DIVERT TO MHT. MANY COMPONENTS WERE AT PLAY THAT IMPACTED SAFETY OF FLT. BOTH PIC AND DISPATCHER WERE COMPLYING WITH FAR AND COMPANY REQUIREMENTS TO ENSURE A SAFE AND LEGAL DECISION. WINDSHEAR AND TSTM IMPACT AT THE FIELD AND A LONG LINE OF ACFT ON THE APCH WITH A TSTM APPROX 10 NM FROM THE SW OF THE FIELD AT APPROX 25 KTS; ALL RESULTED IN THE DECISION TO DIVERT TO MHT. I AMENDED THE FLT RELEASE TO REFLECT THE NEW DEST OF MHT AFTER CHKING ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF ORIGINAL DISPATCH WERE MET AND NOTIFIED THE PIC OF SUCH. ON THE DSCNT 'ARE YOU GOING TO MHT OR GOING TO TRY FOR BOS? WX HAS CLRED UP QUITE A BIT -- CUSTOMER SVC.' FAR 121.601(C) ACFT DISPATCHER INFO TO PIC: DOMESTIC AND FLAG OPS 'DURING A FLT; THE ACFT DISPATCHER SHALL PROVIDE THE PIC ANY ADDITIONAL AVAILABLE INFO OF METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (INCLUDING; ADVERSE WX PHENOMENA; SUCH AS CAT; TSTMS AND LOW ALT WINDSHEAR); AND IRREGULARITIES OF FACILITIES AND SVCS; THAT MAY AFFECT THE SAFETY OF FLT.' CUSTOMER SVC IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS FAR. THIS COMPROMISES SAFETY OF FLT AND MAY LEAD TO A PROBABLE CAUSE IN AN ACCIDENT SCENARIO WITH A DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST RPT FILED ON THIS MATTER. MY QUESTION IS; WHY DOES THE COMPANY AND THE FAA ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE? THERE ARE EVENT ANALYSES AND DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT THAT THIS IS A RECURRENT PHENOMENON. THE VERY INTEGRITY OF THE FARS ARE CONTINUALLY BEING COMPROMISED. WE NEED TO OPERATE WITH ETHICS TO SUPPORT PROB SOLVING THIS CHALLENGE AND NOT MAKE EXCUSES DUE TO POLITICS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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