Narrative:

While taking over my shift on desk at PM00C, the dispatcher I relieved advised me that syr-ord was delayed for approximately 7 hours because of a mechanical problem. He also advised me that he revised the flight release at PM00Z and notified syr operations to have captain pull up a new release. Fuel would not change. At PM13Z, the load agent sent a new fuel slip to syr. This new fuel was to include 4000 pounds of center tank ballast fuel. A syr operations agent filed this fuel slip with all the other paperwork for this flight and the fueler wasn't advised. This ballast fuel is required because of the payload decrease to keep aircraft in balance. None of the captain's paperwork showed any type of ballast fuel until he was awaiting takeoff on the runway. He then received a close-out with total fuel 26600 pounds. The aircraft did have 4000 pounds in the center fuel tank, but only a total of 22600 pounds on board. This kind of problem will/can lead to a tail strike on takeoff or an en route fuel emergency. In my opinion, the load agent should have advised the syr agent, the dispatcher and the captain of the ballast fuel that would have to be on board. This agent did not advise any one of these people. This was a problem that snowballed through all of this airline's safety procedures. I believe that the most effective way of solving this type of problem is communication. When the load agent is aware of a flight that requires ballast fuel, he/she should notify the appropriate people (dispatcher, station agent, and captain).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG RELEASED ON FERRY FLT WITHOUT PROPER BALLAST FUEL.

Narrative: WHILE TAKING OVER MY SHIFT ON DESK AT PM00C, THE DISPATCHER I RELIEVED ADVISED ME THAT SYR-ORD WAS DELAYED FOR APPROX 7 HRS BECAUSE OF A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. HE ALSO ADVISED ME THAT HE REVISED THE FLT RELEASE AT PM00Z AND NOTIFIED SYR OPS TO HAVE CAPT PULL UP A NEW RELEASE. FUEL WOULD NOT CHANGE. AT PM13Z, THE LOAD AGENT SENT A NEW FUEL SLIP TO SYR. THIS NEW FUEL WAS TO INCLUDE 4000 POUNDS OF CTR TANK BALLAST FUEL. A SYR OPS AGENT FILED THIS FUEL SLIP WITH ALL THE OTHER PAPERWORK FOR THIS FLT AND THE FUELER WASN'T ADVISED. THIS BALLAST FUEL IS REQUIRED BECAUSE OF THE PAYLOAD DECREASE TO KEEP ACFT IN BAL. NONE OF THE CAPT'S PAPERWORK SHOWED ANY TYPE OF BALLAST FUEL UNTIL HE WAS AWAITING TKOF ON THE RWY. HE THEN RECEIVED A CLOSE-OUT WITH TOTAL FUEL 26600 POUNDS. THE ACFT DID HAVE 4000 POUNDS IN THE CTR FUEL TANK, BUT ONLY A TOTAL OF 22600 POUNDS ON BOARD. THIS KIND OF PROBLEM WILL/CAN LEAD TO A TAIL STRIKE ON TKOF OR AN ENRTE FUEL EMER. IN MY OPINION, THE LOAD AGENT SHOULD HAVE ADVISED THE SYR AGENT, THE DISPATCHER AND THE CAPT OF THE BALLAST FUEL THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ON BOARD. THIS AGENT DID NOT ADVISE ANY ONE OF THESE PEOPLE. THIS WAS A PROBLEM THAT SNOWBALLED THROUGH ALL OF THIS AIRLINE'S SAFETY PROCS. I BELIEVE THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF SOLVING THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM IS COM. WHEN THE LOAD AGENT IS AWARE OF A FLT THAT REQUIRES BALLAST FUEL, HE/SHE SHOULD NOTIFY THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE (DISPATCHER, STATION AGENT, AND CAPT).

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.