Narrative:

Takeoff performed several hundred pounds over the maximum runway limit weight. The offending numbers were right there on the flight release form, which was prepared by first officer with several thousand hours in type, including some as PIC, and reviewed and signed by me! Destination sea was reporting below minimums, but forecast to be above -- barely. We took lots of extra fuel as a contingency, and took 2 tries at it, the first resulting in a return to pdx for additional fuel and WX checks (after an hour in holding before the first try). In retrospect, I made at least 2 errors in judgement (in addition to the paper work oversight). 1) a tried too hard to 'get the mission accomplished.' 2) I didn't slow down and become more deliberate due to extended duty day due to bad WX. (I felt fine because my day had started much later than first officer's, so I didn't take his fatigue into account in setting the cockpit page -- only his experience.) an additional factor, which is ironically being addressed by the company subsequently, is there are far too many numbers/items to fill in and be sure of their correctness -- would you believe 107 spaces, including 241 digits?! If multiplied by the number of legs we'd flown that day, I'd reviewed 723 digits, and the first officer 1446 digits, not counting several other documents we use in addition to the flight release on which the oversight was made! At any rate, the motto should be to make the page inversely proportionate to the volume of work!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY CONFIGN RWY WT LIMITATION EXCEEDED FOR TKOF BY DC-9 CREW.

Narrative: TKOF PERFORMED SEVERAL HUNDRED LBS OVER THE MAX RWY LIMIT WT. THE OFFENDING NUMBERS WERE RIGHT THERE ON THE FLT RELEASE FORM, WHICH WAS PREPARED BY FO WITH SEVERAL THOUSAND HRS IN TYPE, INCLUDING SOME AS PIC, AND REVIEWED AND SIGNED BY ME! DEST SEA WAS RPTING BELOW MINIMUMS, BUT FORECAST TO BE ABOVE -- BARELY. WE TOOK LOTS OF EXTRA FUEL AS A CONTINGENCY, AND TOOK 2 TRIES AT IT, THE FIRST RESULTING IN A RETURN TO PDX FOR ADDITIONAL FUEL AND WX CHKS (AFTER AN HR IN HOLDING BEFORE THE FIRST TRY). IN RETROSPECT, I MADE AT LEAST 2 ERRORS IN JUDGEMENT (IN ADDITION TO THE PAPER WORK OVERSIGHT). 1) A TRIED TOO HARD TO 'GET THE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.' 2) I DIDN'T SLOW DOWN AND BECOME MORE DELIBERATE DUE TO EXTENDED DUTY DAY DUE TO BAD WX. (I FELT FINE BECAUSE MY DAY HAD STARTED MUCH LATER THAN FO'S, SO I DIDN'T TAKE HIS FATIGUE INTO ACCOUNT IN SETTING THE COCKPIT PAGE -- ONLY HIS EXPERIENCE.) AN ADDITIONAL FACTOR, WHICH IS IRONICALLY BEING ADDRESSED BY THE COMPANY SUBSEQUENTLY, IS THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY NUMBERS/ITEMS TO FILL IN AND BE SURE OF THEIR CORRECTNESS -- WOULD YOU BELIEVE 107 SPACES, INCLUDING 241 DIGITS?! IF MULTIPLIED BY THE NUMBER OF LEGS WE'D FLOWN THAT DAY, I'D REVIEWED 723 DIGITS, AND THE FO 1446 DIGITS, NOT COUNTING SEVERAL OTHER DOCUMENTS WE USE IN ADDITION TO THE FLT RELEASE ON WHICH THE OVERSIGHT WAS MADE! AT ANY RATE, THE MOTTO SHOULD BE TO MAKE THE PAGE INVERSELY PROPORTIONATE TO THE VOLUME OF WORK!

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.