Narrative:

I was flying a cargo run on aug/xx/93 out of mobile, al, downtown airport. The aircraft was a reciprocating twin operated by the part 135 company I work for. After receiving my cargo and obtaining the weight, I entered the cockpit to take my crew position and calculate the weight and balance prior to start and taxi. It was then I discovered that the 'flight folder' which contains various 'operations' forms was out of blank weight and balance forms. Since the flight folder is normally kept stocked with forms and had been left in the aircraft from the previous day's flight, I expected to have ample weight and balance forms. Because the operations office was a 20 min walk round trip and being mins away from my takeoff time, I was faced with a choice of a 20 min late takeoff or going without being able to write down the weight and balance information on the appropriate form. After making the weight and balance calculation, and assuring the aircraft was within weight and balance limits, I elected to takeoff without documenting the information on the appropriate form, due to the lack of the form. Furthermore, the arrival and unloading 'time' at the destination leave very little slack time with which to compensate for a late takeoff, adding to my pressure to takeoff on time. Upon arrival at the destination and after unloading my cargo, I was ramp checked by the FAA. After being asked for the weight and balance manifest, I informed the representative I did not have the appropriate form, for the previously explained reasons. He informed me that I was required to have the documentation and I acknowledged that I was aware of the requirement. He informed me that I shouldn't be caught without blank forms with which to do weight and balance manifest and suggested that I carry spare forms with my personal equipment. He informed me that I was free to return to my departure airport and that he might contact me later. I returned on the 'dead head' leg to my departure point with no incident. I have taken the representative's recommendation, and I now carry my own spare forms. Also, I have reevaluated my decision to proceed without the appropriate form and would now opt for a late takeoff in this situation and others like it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RAMP CHK FINDS NO WT AND BAL FORM FOR FLT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A CARGO RUN ON AUG/XX/93 OUT OF MOBILE, AL, DOWNTOWN ARPT. THE ACFT WAS A RECIPROCATING TWIN OPERATED BY THE PART 135 COMPANY I WORK FOR. AFTER RECEIVING MY CARGO AND OBTAINING THE WT, I ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO TAKE MY CREW POS AND CALCULATE THE WT AND BAL PRIOR TO START AND TAXI. IT WAS THEN I DISCOVERED THAT THE 'FLT FOLDER' WHICH CONTAINS VARIOUS 'OPS' FORMS WAS OUT OF BLANK WT AND BAL FORMS. SINCE THE FLT FOLDER IS NORMALLY KEPT STOCKED WITH FORMS AND HAD BEEN LEFT IN THE ACFT FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY'S FLT, I EXPECTED TO HAVE AMPLE WT AND BAL FORMS. BECAUSE THE OPS OFFICE WAS A 20 MIN WALK ROUND TRIP AND BEING MINS AWAY FROM MY TKOF TIME, I WAS FACED WITH A CHOICE OF A 20 MIN LATE TKOF OR GOING WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO WRITE DOWN THE WT AND BAL INFO ON THE APPROPRIATE FORM. AFTER MAKING THE WT AND BAL CALCULATION, AND ASSURING THE ACFT WAS WITHIN WT AND BAL LIMITS, I ELECTED TO TKOF WITHOUT DOCUMENTING THE INFO ON THE APPROPRIATE FORM, DUE TO THE LACK OF THE FORM. FURTHERMORE, THE ARR AND UNLOADING 'TIME' AT THE DEST LEAVE VERY LITTLE SLACK TIME WITH WHICH TO COMPENSATE FOR A LATE TKOF, ADDING TO MY PRESSURE TO TKOF ON TIME. UPON ARR AT THE DEST AND AFTER UNLOADING MY CARGO, I WAS RAMP CHKED BY THE FAA. AFTER BEING ASKED FOR THE WT AND BAL MANIFEST, I INFORMED THE REPRESENTATIVE I DID NOT HAVE THE APPROPRIATE FORM, FOR THE PREVIOUSLY EXPLAINED REASONS. HE INFORMED ME THAT I WAS REQUIRED TO HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION AND I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I WAS AWARE OF THE REQUIREMENT. HE INFORMED ME THAT I SHOULDN'T BE CAUGHT WITHOUT BLANK FORMS WITH WHICH TO DO WT AND BAL MANIFEST AND SUGGESTED THAT I CARRY SPARE FORMS WITH MY PERSONAL EQUIP. HE INFORMED ME THAT I WAS FREE TO RETURN TO MY DEP ARPT AND THAT HE MIGHT CONTACT ME LATER. I RETURNED ON THE 'DEAD HEAD' LEG TO MY DEP POINT WITH NO INCIDENT. I HAVE TAKEN THE REPRESENTATIVE'S RECOMMENDATION, AND I NOW CARRY MY OWN SPARE FORMS. ALSO, I HAVE REEVALUATED MY DECISION TO PROCEED WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE FORM AND WOULD NOW OPT FOR A LATE TKOF IN THIS SIT AND OTHERS LIKE IT.

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.