2009-10 · NASA ASRS report 855054
A320 Dispatcher Reports inability to communicate with a flight that ultimately diverts due to a fuel anomaly. Reporter believes that the fuel predict page may have been giving inaccurate information due to high winds and that the divert was premature.
Flight reported problems to maintenance with his fuel calculations and his fuel predict page showing landing in SFO with -1.2. Maintenance suggested checking fuel burn and current g/w on fuel system page. Calculate your estimated fuel used from gross at dept. What they were looking for was confirmation on excessive burn/fuel leak. The flt departed with dispatchable fuel within 100lbs. The fcst winds were very strong (175kts on the nose) but the fuel was built to reflect this. I tried to call them; but no joy in me reading them. They sent a msg to me saying they heard my call; but could not get thru to me and that they were going to dvrt. My opinion; it seems to me that if the crew had looked at the fuel on board and compared to flt pln vs just the fmc calculator; and continued on deeper into the flt plan; they may have come up with a more correct fuel situation. The winds fell off a lot after GEP and worse case if in fact there was a leak; they could have stopped in DEN. A discussion with dispatch would certainly have given us more options and a better operation. Again; my opinion. The flight did land safely.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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