Narrative:

Company recently began using adjusted weight index method for computing aircraft weight and balance by cockpit crew members. Data for completing this form is supplied to us by ground personnel and our flight attendant. Unfortunately, the accuracy of these computations is based solely on the information provided. On this flight, the flight attendant provided us with a passenger count and seating arrangement that indicated the aircraft was within weight and balance limits for the flight. However, after the flight, the FAA inspector (performing a cabin line inspection), reviewed our weight and balance form and told us that the passenger were not seated in the locations that made our computations valid. He also stated that he had seen similar problems before and attributed it to a misunderstanding on the part of the flight attendants. Although our company uses the weight and balance method for all aircraft types it operates, the passenger seating splits are different in each. Further, even though I briefed our flight attendant on passenger counts and arrangements, she still confused it with the other aircraft she operates. I recommend putting a placard in the cabin of each aircraft identing the cabin halves and maximum passenger seating dispersal. This would alleviate confusion for the cabin crew and provide accurate information for weight and balance computations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR USES WT AND BAL COMPUTATIONS WITH ADJUSTED INDEX AND SEATING POS. ACI STATES AFTER THE FLT THAT SEATING NOT CORRECT.

Narrative: COMPANY RECENTLY BEGAN USING ADJUSTED WT INDEX METHOD FOR COMPUTING ACFT WT AND BAL BY COCKPIT CREW MEMBERS. DATA FOR COMPLETING THIS FORM IS SUPPLIED TO US BY GND PERSONNEL AND OUR FLT ATTENDANT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ACCURACY OF THESE COMPUTATIONS IS BASED SOLELY ON THE INFO PROVIDED. ON THIS FLT, THE FLT ATTENDANT PROVIDED US WITH A PAX COUNT AND SEATING ARRANGEMENT THAT INDICATED THE ACFT WAS WITHIN WT AND BAL LIMITS FOR THE FLT. HOWEVER, AFTER THE FLT, THE FAA INSPECTOR (PERFORMING A CABIN LINE INSPECTION), REVIEWED OUR WT AND BAL FORM AND TOLD US THAT THE PAX WERE NOT SEATED IN THE LOCATIONS THAT MADE OUR COMPUTATIONS VALID. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE HAD SEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS BEFORE AND ATTRIBUTED IT TO A MISUNDERSTANDING ON THE PART OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS. ALTHOUGH OUR COMPANY USES THE WT AND BAL METHOD FOR ALL ACFT TYPES IT OPERATES, THE PAX SEATING SPLITS ARE DIFFERENT IN EACH. FURTHER, EVEN THOUGH I BRIEFED OUR FLT ATTENDANT ON PAX COUNTS AND ARRANGEMENTS, SHE STILL CONFUSED IT WITH THE OTHER ACFT SHE OPERATES. I RECOMMEND PUTTING A PLACARD IN THE CABIN OF EACH ACFT IDENTING THE CABIN HALVES AND MAX PAX SEATING DISPERSAL. THIS WOULD ALLEVIATE CONFUSION FOR THE CABIN CREW AND PROVIDE ACCURATE INFO FOR WT AND BAL COMPUTATIONS.

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.