Air carrier medium large transport crew used wrong trim setting for takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	250764
Time
Date	199309
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	250764
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While taxiing out for takeoff, we received weight and balance information via ACARS. The first officer entered the 0 fuel weight into the pms, which knows our fuel and gives us the gross weight for takeoff. (1 fuel gauge was on MEL, but was in fact operating, so the pms computed weight was correct). Using the pms weight, we then turned to the v-spd page and got our takeoff speeds. We set the trim as the ACARS message showed. After takeoff. We noticed that the weight and balance air carrier's message showed an incorrect fuel load, and therefore and incorrect total weight. Since we had used the pms weight, our speeds were correct, but only because the fuel gauges were working. The trim we used was not correct. We should have double-checked the weight and balance fuel, ACARS versus pms. I should have backed up the first officer on this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG CREW USED WRONG TRIM SETTING FOR TKOF.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF, WE RECEIVED WT AND BAL INFO VIA ACARS. THE FO ENTERED THE 0 FUEL WT INTO THE PMS, WHICH KNOWS OUR FUEL AND GIVES US THE GROSS WT FOR TKOF. (1 FUEL GAUGE WAS ON MEL, BUT WAS IN FACT OPERATING, SO THE PMS COMPUTED WT WAS CORRECT). USING THE PMS WT, WE THEN TURNED TO THE V-SPD PAGE AND GOT OUR TKOF SPDS. WE SET THE TRIM AS THE ACARS MESSAGE SHOWED. AFTER TKOF. WE NOTICED THAT THE WT AND BAL ACR'S MESSAGE SHOWED AN INCORRECT FUEL LOAD, AND THEREFORE AND INCORRECT TOTAL WT. SINCE WE HAD USED THE PMS WT, OUR SPDS WERE CORRECT, BUT ONLY BECAUSE THE FUEL GAUGES WERE WORKING. THE TRIM WE USED WAS NOT CORRECT. WE SHOULD HAVE DOUBLE-CHKED THE WT AND BAL FUEL, ACARS VERSUS PMS. I SHOULD HAVE BACKED UP THE FO ON THIS.

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.