Flight crew of an large transport took off with a elevator trim setting 20000 pounds less than for t...

Attributes
ACN	318724
Time
Date	199510
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bqn
State Reference	PR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 14400 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	318724
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Weight and balance showed 33500 pounds of fuel on board with a takeoff weight of 159200 pounds, while the flight plan/release and actual fuel on board was 53500 pounds. Takeoff trim, runway stop margin and actual takeoff turned out fine due to a slow rotation and the long takeoff runway. 53500 pounds of fuel was what was needed for flight, so no other problems were encountered. Misreading the '5' versus the '3' on the computerized weight and balance helped lead to the error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT TOOK OFF WITH A ELEVATOR TRIM SETTING 20000 LBS LESS THAN FOR THEIR ACTUAL LOAD.

Narrative: WT AND BAL SHOWED 33500 LBS OF FUEL ON BOARD WITH A TKOF WT OF 159200 LBS, WHILE THE FLT PLAN/RELEASE AND ACTUAL FUEL ON BOARD WAS 53500 LBS. TKOF TRIM, RWY STOP MARGIN AND ACTUAL TKOF TURNED OUT FINE DUE TO A SLOW ROTATION AND THE LONG TKOF RWY. 53500 LBS OF FUEL WAS WHAT WAS NEEDED FOR FLT, SO NO OTHER PROBS WERE ENCOUNTERED. MISREADING THE '5' VERSUS THE '3' ON THE COMPUTERIZED WT AND BAL HELPED LEAD TO THE ERROR.

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.

Flight crew of an large transport took off with a elevator trim setting 20000 pounds less than for their actual load.