Narrative:

During baggage loading we were given a bag count. After calculations, we discovered this baggage count would put the aircraft over the maximum zero fuel weight. After notifying the gate representative that we would have to remove 45 bags, he said they would take care of it. When the gate representative returned, he notified us of the new bag count and that the ground handlers miscounted the forward cargo bags, therefore, there was no need to remove any bags. When we picked up the same passenger in acapulco on mar/xa/95, they once again had too many bags. After double-checking with the gate representative, they assured us the bag count of 248 was correct. We then instructed the ground handlers to remove 55 bags so that we could remain within our maximum zero fuel weight of 141.0 pounds. After discussing this situation with other crewmembers, they informed us that similar sits have occurred with them. My concern is that the baggage count out of msp is being falsely skewed to maintain within limits, when indeed an aircraft may be 1500 pounds or more over maximum gross weight of maximum zero fuel ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ACFT WAS LOADED TO EXCEED MAX ZERO FUEL WT.

Narrative: DURING BAGGAGE LOADING WE WERE GIVEN A BAG COUNT. AFTER CALCULATIONS, WE DISCOVERED THIS BAGGAGE COUNT WOULD PUT THE ACFT OVER THE MAX ZERO FUEL WT. AFTER NOTIFYING THE GATE REPRESENTATIVE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE 45 BAGS, HE SAID THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT. WHEN THE GATE REPRESENTATIVE RETURNED, HE NOTIFIED US OF THE NEW BAG COUNT AND THAT THE GND HANDLERS MISCOUNTED THE FORWARD CARGO BAGS, THEREFORE, THERE WAS NO NEED TO REMOVE ANY BAGS. WHEN WE PICKED UP THE SAME PAX IN ACAPULCO ON MAR/XA/95, THEY ONCE AGAIN HAD TOO MANY BAGS. AFTER DOUBLE-CHKING WITH THE GATE REPRESENTATIVE, THEY ASSURED US THE BAG COUNT OF 248 WAS CORRECT. WE THEN INSTRUCTED THE GND HANDLERS TO REMOVE 55 BAGS SO THAT WE COULD REMAIN WITHIN OUR MAX ZERO FUEL WT OF 141.0 LBS. AFTER DISCUSSING THIS SIT WITH OTHER CREWMEMBERS, THEY INFORMED US THAT SIMILAR SITS HAVE OCCURRED WITH THEM. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE BAGGAGE COUNT OUT OF MSP IS BEING FALSELY SKEWED TO MAINTAIN WITHIN LIMITS, WHEN INDEED AN ACFT MAY BE 1500 LBS OR MORE OVER MAX GROSS WT OF MAX ZERO FUEL FT.

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.