B767 flight crew reports inability to communicate with Dispatch in a timely manor; when a last minute decision is made to land at the original destination due to weather improvement.
Synopsis
B767 flight crew reports inability to communicate with Dispatch in a timely manor; when a last minute decision is made to land at the original destination due to weather improvement.
Narrative
We received an ACARS message to change our alternate to YVR as BFI had just gone below minimums. SEA weather was good as destination but not as alternate. We could make SEA our destination if BFI remained below minimums. After monitoring BFI it appeared that it would not come up at our arrival time. Asked to make our destination SEA. Dispatch asked that we hold until our fuel would allow us an approach into SEA with fuel for our alternate. We entered the hold at Olympia at FL240 with fuel at 20.5. I estimated that we would have enough fuel for 4 laps in holding before starting an approach into SEA. Weather at SEA was deteriorating and was 3/4 mile at time of holding. Dispatch informed us that they would prefer we land at SEA rather than YVR. With 17.0 fuel remaining we informed Dispatch that we were making SEA our destination and started our descent into SEA for approach to Runway 16C. About 50 seconds after starting our descent; Approach informed us that visibility at BFI had just gone to 5;000 would we like to go there? We were about ten minutes out of BFI at 10;000 FT. I made the decision to go to BFI. We sent a message to Dispatch for a diversion to BFI. The approach was uneventful we broke out at minimums and landed at BFI. We did not receive verification from Dispatch. One other aircraft landed shortly after we did then I believe the field went below minimums again. After landing we talked with other crews and they stated that they had communications problems with Dispatch. I know the book says that we must communicate with Dispatch when changes to our flight need to be made; but the timing on this flight ended up with time critical decisions that precluded the smooth interaction with the company. I don't know how we could improve this type of situation without restricting ourselves.
Second reporter narrative
Within one minute of departing the hold at OLM and on our descent to SEA (now 2;200 RVR) Seattle Approach informed us that BFI was now up to 6;000+RVR; would we like to go to our original destination? We accepted that offer and sent a DIVERT message via ACARS to Dispatch now with BFI; our original destination as our destination again. We were vectored to a safe and uneventful approach and landing at BFI but hadn't received an acknowledgment for the BFI destination from Dispatch.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.