Narrative:

When we got to the aircraft, we found ballast was required. My first officer called operations and told the duty officer and chief pilot, that we needed ballast to taxi. Do told her we did not need ballast. Currently, our manuals indicate ballast must be used. In volume 1 of the flight manual, limitations section, page 1-2, a minimum 0 fuel weight is stated as being 35843 pounds. In note 4 it elaborates by stating 'the minimum zero fuel weight (minimum ZFW) refers only to cargo configured aircraft. The minimum ZFW applied also to taxi and towing...' note 5 does indicate that this can be disregarded if the aircraft falls within the center of gravity envelope. But, since no information is offered for the conversion of balance units, which we normally use, to percent of mean aerodynamic chord, which this chart uses, and the basic operating weight on all our airplanes falls well outside the moment envelope on our weight and balance forms, it is assumed that the empty aircraft does not fall within the specified requirements. My first officer asked if he would facsimile us authorization to vary from standard and approved air carrier procedure. Do told her to hand the phone to me. He then said something to the effect, 'just taxi the damn airplane, I don't want to get out late tonight.' I took his choice of words and tone of voice to be a job threat. I did, under duress, taxi the airplane without ballast.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIC RPT ON TAXIING TFC ACFT UNDER DURESS WHEN AIRLINE MGMNT POLICY AND WT AND BAL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BALLAST INSTALLATION FOR TAXI PRIOR TO CARGO LOADING BALLAST NOT PROVIDED PER CHIEF PLT'S DEMAND.

Narrative: WHEN WE GOT TO THE ACFT, WE FOUND BALLAST WAS REQUIRED. MY FO CALLED OPS AND TOLD THE DUTY OFFICER AND CHIEF PLT, THAT WE NEEDED BALLAST TO TAXI. DO TOLD HER WE DID NOT NEED BALLAST. CURRENTLY, OUR MANUALS INDICATE BALLAST MUST BE USED. IN VOLUME 1 OF THE FLT MANUAL, LIMITATIONS SECTION, PAGE 1-2, A MINIMUM 0 FUEL WT IS STATED AS BEING 35843 LBS. IN NOTE 4 IT ELABORATES BY STATING 'THE MINIMUM ZERO FUEL WT (MINIMUM ZFW) REFERS ONLY TO CARGO CONFIGURED ACFT. THE MINIMUM ZFW APPLIED ALSO TO TAXI AND TOWING...' NOTE 5 DOES INDICATE THAT THIS CAN BE DISREGARDED IF THE ACFT FALLS WITHIN THE CTR OF GRAVITY ENVELOPE. BUT, SINCE NO INFO IS OFFERED FOR THE CONVERSION OF BAL UNITS, WHICH WE NORMALLY USE, TO PERCENT OF MEAN AERODYNAMIC CHORD, WHICH THIS CHART USES, AND THE BASIC OPERATING WT ON ALL OUR AIRPLANES FALLS WELL OUTSIDE THE MOMENT ENVELOPE ON OUR WT AND BAL FORMS, IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE EMPTY ACFT DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE SPECIFIED REQUIREMENTS. MY FO ASKED IF HE WOULD FAX US AUTHORIZATION TO VARY FROM STANDARD AND APPROVED ACR PROC. DO TOLD HER TO HAND THE PHONE TO ME. HE THEN SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT, 'JUST TAXI THE DAMN AIRPLANE, I DON'T WANT TO GET OUT LATE TONIGHT.' I TOOK HIS CHOICE OF WORDS AND TONE OF VOICE TO BE A JOB THREAT. I DID, UNDER DURESS, TAXI THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT BALLAST.

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.