Narrative:

When asked how many bags could be carried with a full passenger compliment, the crew advised operations agents and ground handlers that the maximum bag weight would be 1700 pounds or 72 bags. Because this # was given on 3 occasions, there is little room for misunderstanding. Indeed the manifest given to the crew showed 72 bags for a total of 1692 pounds. At V1 the aircraft self rotated leading me to suspect an overloading of aft baggage compartment. Upon arrival at destination I counted bags as did ground crew. The total # of bags was 82. Included in this count were several duffel bags (normally counted as 2) and about 20 sets of golf clubs. If the FAA is serious about protecting the public, stop punishing flcs and look at the management of companies who don't train and retain ramp personnel 1) make the agent responsible for load report as liable as flight crews are, 2) make those responsible for training ground personnel liable. Supplemental information from acn 299972: as we approached clt the captain called our company operations frequency for an in-range call. Operations informed us that our next flight to HHH was booked full and they wanted a maximum bag compartment weight for that flight. The captain did a calculation and called back with 1700 pounds or 72 bags. Later when they were loading the aircraft with bags, I told them again 1700 pounds or 72 bags maximum. After my walk around was finished, I observed the captain telling the same bag handlers about our rests. (Bag handlers told us that there were 72 bags exactly in the back). These people need to be held responsible for their actions. Their training is poor and there is no incentive to stay at this job long enough to learn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TKOF OVER MAX ALLOWABLE GROSS WT DUE TO IMPROPER ACFT LOADING.

Narrative: WHEN ASKED HOW MANY BAGS COULD BE CARRIED WITH A FULL PAX COMPLIMENT, THE CREW ADVISED OPS AGENTS AND GND HANDLERS THAT THE MAX BAG WT WOULD BE 1700 LBS OR 72 BAGS. BECAUSE THIS # WAS GIVEN ON 3 OCCASIONS, THERE IS LITTLE ROOM FOR MISUNDERSTANDING. INDEED THE MANIFEST GIVEN TO THE CREW SHOWED 72 BAGS FOR A TOTAL OF 1692 LBS. AT V1 THE ACFT SELF ROTATED LEADING ME TO SUSPECT AN OVERLOADING OF AFT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. UPON ARR AT DEST I COUNTED BAGS AS DID GND CREW. THE TOTAL # OF BAGS WAS 82. INCLUDED IN THIS COUNT WERE SEVERAL DUFFEL BAGS (NORMALLY COUNTED AS 2) AND ABOUT 20 SETS OF GOLF CLUBS. IF THE FAA IS SERIOUS ABOUT PROTECTING THE PUBLIC, STOP PUNISHING FLCS AND LOOK AT THE MGMNT OF COMPANIES WHO DON'T TRAIN AND RETAIN RAMP PERSONNEL 1) MAKE THE AGENT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOAD RPT AS LIABLE AS FLT CREWS ARE, 2) MAKE THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAINING GND PERSONNEL LIABLE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 299972: AS WE APCHED CLT THE CAPT CALLED OUR COMPANY OPS FREQ FOR AN IN-RANGE CALL. OPS INFORMED US THAT OUR NEXT FLT TO HHH WAS BOOKED FULL AND THEY WANTED A MAX BAG COMPARTMENT WT FOR THAT FLT. THE CAPT DID A CALCULATION AND CALLED BACK WITH 1700 LBS OR 72 BAGS. LATER WHEN THEY WERE LOADING THE ACFT WITH BAGS, I TOLD THEM AGAIN 1700 LBS OR 72 BAGS MAX. AFTER MY WALK AROUND WAS FINISHED, I OBSERVED THE CAPT TELLING THE SAME BAG HANDLERS ABOUT OUR RESTS. (BAG HANDLERS TOLD US THAT THERE WERE 72 BAGS EXACTLY IN THE BACK). THESE PEOPLE NEED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. THEIR TRAINING IS POOR AND THERE IS NO INCENTIVE TO STAY AT THIS JOB LONG ENOUGH TO LEARN.

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.