Widebody transport ramp weight exceeded during taxi.

Attributes
ACN	302337
Time
Date	199504
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 15000
ASRS Report	302337
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While waiting for takeoff, we were informed by our company that our aircraft was too heavy for takeoff and we needed to return to the gate and off-load some 6000 pounds of cargo to return to takeoff limits. The original weight data forms indicated that even though we were close to maximum takeoff limits, the numbers added up properly. After off-loading approximately 6000 pounds of the cargo, the second weight data form added up properly and was close to the original takeoff weight. The problem was that the first weight data form listed 120 passenger in tourist. The second form listed 150 passenger in tourist (all other cabin counts remained the same). The 30 passenger difference amounted to the 6000 pound discrepancy. This problem was caused by the person reporting or doing the weight and balance calculations. Either an outright error in addition, reporting, or possibly a typographical error of a 2 instead of a 5 in the final count (120 versus 150). The crew added the numbers correctly, but were not required nor thought it necessary to request a physical head count prior to departure. In the future, when close to maximum gross takeoff weight, a head count will be a valuable tool in xchking the accuracy of the weight data report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB RAMP WT EXCEEDED DURING TAXI.

Narrative: WHILE WAITING FOR TKOF, WE WERE INFORMED BY OUR COMPANY THAT OUR ACFT WAS TOO HVY FOR TKOF AND WE NEEDED TO RETURN TO THE GATE AND OFF-LOAD SOME 6000 LBS OF CARGO TO RETURN TO TKOF LIMITS. THE ORIGINAL WT DATA FORMS INDICATED THAT EVEN THOUGH WE WERE CLOSE TO MAX TKOF LIMITS, THE NUMBERS ADDED UP PROPERLY. AFTER OFF-LOADING APPROX 6000 LBS OF THE CARGO, THE SECOND WT DATA FORM ADDED UP PROPERLY AND WAS CLOSE TO THE ORIGINAL TKOF WT. THE PROB WAS THAT THE FIRST WT DATA FORM LISTED 120 PAX IN TOURIST. THE SECOND FORM LISTED 150 PAX IN TOURIST (ALL OTHER CABIN COUNTS REMAINED THE SAME). THE 30 PAX DIFFERENCE AMOUNTED TO THE 6000 LB DISCREPANCY. THIS PROB WAS CAUSED BY THE PERSON RPTING OR DOING THE WT AND BAL CALCULATIONS. EITHER AN OUTRIGHT ERROR IN ADDITION, RPTING, OR POSSIBLY A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR OF A 2 INSTEAD OF A 5 IN THE FINAL COUNT (120 VERSUS 150). THE CREW ADDED THE NUMBERS CORRECTLY, BUT WERE NOT REQUIRED NOR THOUGHT IT NECESSARY TO REQUEST A PHYSICAL HEAD COUNT PRIOR TO DEP. IN THE FUTURE, WHEN CLOSE TO MAX GROSS TKOF WT, A HEAD COUNT WILL BE A VALUABLE TOOL IN XCHKING THE ACCURACY OF THE WT DATA RPT.

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.