Medium large transport departs with 1000 pounds extra fuel. Forces overweight landing.

Attributes
ACN	279014
Time
Date	199407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sdf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000
ASRS Report	279014
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approximately 5 mins prior to pushback, my first officer advised me that he had talked to the dispatcher. They had made a 1000 pound error, (too much fuel). The first officer felt that it was ok and wanted to check my feelings on the matter. In that my first officer and dispatcher agreed, I pretty much blew it off. Not taking the time to fully look at the whole situation. Knowing that I needed to burn off some fuel, I started both engines immediately and left the APU on longer than normal. Still not grasping the whole situation. On descent the first officer set bugs as per checklist. It was then that I noticed that we would be landing 2000 pounds overweight. I configured early and turned on the APU allowing me to burn approximately 800 pounds more than normal still we landed overweight. However there was a large number of children on board that compensated. Upon landing, I called dispatch to see what happened and why. She informed me that she knew nothing of the matter. After further querying my first officer, we concluded that he had spoken to someone in weight and balance and that the first officer misunderstood him to be the dispatcher. Clearly the error here was my complacency! At no point did I take the time to focus on and truly comprehend the problem. Truly a lesson learned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG DEPARTS WITH 1000 LBS EXTRA FUEL. FORCES OVERWT LNDG.

Narrative: APPROX 5 MINS PRIOR TO PUSHBACK, MY FO ADVISED ME THAT HE HAD TALKED TO THE DISPATCHER. THEY HAD MADE A 1000 LB ERROR, (TOO MUCH FUEL). THE FO FELT THAT IT WAS OK AND WANTED TO CHK MY FEELINGS ON THE MATTER. IN THAT MY FO AND DISPATCHER AGREED, I PRETTY MUCH BLEW IT OFF. NOT TAKING THE TIME TO FULLY LOOK AT THE WHOLE SIT. KNOWING THAT I NEEDED TO BURN OFF SOME FUEL, I STARTED BOTH ENGS IMMEDIATELY AND LEFT THE APU ON LONGER THAN NORMAL. STILL NOT GRASPING THE WHOLE SIT. ON DSCNT THE FO SET BUGS AS PER CHKLIST. IT WAS THEN THAT I NOTICED THAT WE WOULD BE LNDG 2000 LBS OVERWT. I CONFIGURED EARLY AND TURNED ON THE APU ALLOWING ME TO BURN APPROX 800 LBS MORE THAN NORMAL STILL WE LANDED OVERWT. HOWEVER THERE WAS A LARGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN ON BOARD THAT COMPENSATED. UPON LNDG, I CALLED DISPATCH TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY. SHE INFORMED ME THAT SHE KNEW NOTHING OF THE MATTER. AFTER FURTHER QUERYING MY FO, WE CONCLUDED THAT HE HAD SPOKEN TO SOMEONE IN WT AND BAL AND THAT THE FO MISUNDERSTOOD HIM TO BE THE DISPATCHER. CLRLY THE ERROR HERE WAS MY COMPLACENCY! AT NO POINT DID I TAKE THE TIME TO FOCUS ON AND TRULY COMPREHEND THE PROB. TRULY A LESSON LEARNED.

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.