Narrative:

Payload restrictions for this particular flight out of phl were given to operations by me (PIC) approximately 30 mins before scheduled departure time. These restrictions indicated that we could take a maximum of 28 people and 30 bags. An updated restriction of 28 people and 31 bags was given to the lead baggage handler at plane-side while the aircraft was being loaded. The load report which he gave me showed 28 people and 29 bags, and he indicated verbally that he had placed 2 additional bags on the aircraft. This total figure of 28 passenger and 31 bags is reflected by our load manifest for the flight. Upon arrival at our destination however, I was informed by the lead agent there that a total of 42 bags had been unloaded from the aircraft. This is 11 more bags than the maximum of 31 that appeared on our manifest, and that I had determined would be the maximum allowable # for the flight. Unknown to me and the other 2 members of the crew, the aircraft had been overloaded by 11 bags in phl. It was fortunate that we experienced an unanticipated delay at the runway of nearly 1 hour before we could takeoff, due to runway closure. The extra fuel burned during this delay partially offset the weight of the additional 11 bags, whose presence we were not aware of. I felt, after discovering the baggage overload at our destination, that the aircraft was probably at least 100 pounds over maximum takeoff weight when we departed phl. This event has been reported, in writing, to the company chief pilot for investigation as to how the aircraft was allowed to be overloaded in phl.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT INCORRECT WEIGHT AND BALANCE RESULTS IN OVER GROSS WEIGHT TKOF FROM PHL.

Narrative: PAYLOAD RESTRICTIONS FOR THIS PARTICULAR FLT OUT OF PHL WERE GIVEN TO OPS BY ME (PIC) APPROX 30 MINS BEFORE SCHEDULED DEP TIME. THESE RESTRICTIONS INDICATED THAT WE COULD TAKE A MAX OF 28 PEOPLE AND 30 BAGS. AN UPDATED RESTRICTION OF 28 PEOPLE AND 31 BAGS WAS GIVEN TO THE LEAD BAGGAGE HANDLER AT PLANE-SIDE WHILE THE ACFT WAS BEING LOADED. THE LOAD RPT WHICH HE GAVE ME SHOWED 28 PEOPLE AND 29 BAGS, AND HE INDICATED VERBALLY THAT HE HAD PLACED 2 ADDITIONAL BAGS ON THE ACFT. THIS TOTAL FIGURE OF 28 PAX AND 31 BAGS IS REFLECTED BY OUR LOAD MANIFEST FOR THE FLT. UPON ARR AT OUR DEST HOWEVER, I WAS INFORMED BY THE LEAD AGENT THERE THAT A TOTAL OF 42 BAGS HAD BEEN UNLOADED FROM THE ACFT. THIS IS 11 MORE BAGS THAN THE MAX OF 31 THAT APPEARED ON OUR MANIFEST, AND THAT I HAD DETERMINED WOULD BE THE MAX ALLOWABLE # FOR THE FLT. UNKNOWN TO ME AND THE OTHER 2 MEMBERS OF THE CREW, THE ACFT HAD BEEN OVERLOADED BY 11 BAGS IN PHL. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT WE EXPERIENCED AN UNANTICIPATED DELAY AT THE RWY OF NEARLY 1 HR BEFORE WE COULD TKOF, DUE TO RWY CLOSURE. THE EXTRA FUEL BURNED DURING THIS DELAY PARTIALLY OFFSET THE WT OF THE ADDITIONAL 11 BAGS, WHOSE PRESENCE WE WERE NOT AWARE OF. I FELT, AFTER DISCOVERING THE BAGGAGE OVERLOAD AT OUR DEST, THAT THE ACFT WAS PROBABLY AT LEAST 100 LBS OVER MAX TKOF WT WHEN WE DEPARTED PHL. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RPTED, IN WRITING, TO THE COMPANY CHIEF PLT FOR INVESTIGATION AS TO HOW THE ACFT WAS ALLOWED TO BE OVERLOADED IN PHL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.