Narrative:

My flight was ramp inspected by the FAA upon arrival in miami, fl. This was a scheduled cargo sub-service flight for xyz, the flag air carrier of costa rica. This airline does all cargo services and loading for this flight. I was informed by my company that, during the down loading of the cargo, the FAA inspectors discovered the aircraft was mis-loaded (but within limits), that the pallet locks in the aft 2 sections of the aircraft, position 17 and 18, were not properly locked and that a smoke barrier in the belly of the aircraft was mis- configured. Also noted was some pallet nets were in poor shape and not secured properly. I understood the operation to be that, when the station loading manager handed me the final load plan and stated loading was complete, this meant loaded properly. I have now learned the hard way that this is not the case. At the time of loading, I was preoccupied with checking performance computations for maintenance payload flight and other preflight duties. Now I realize that my attention should have been more directed to the loading procedure. These problems were unintentional and I have taken immediate corrective action to insure that it does not happen again. I now personally inspect all cargo for loading security and ask my crew to do the same. New pallet nets are being used by xyz now and I have taken a load master on the trip. My trip paperwork was inspected and found to be perfect, including the weight and balance which was prepared by my crew using a xyz supplied list of cargo weights. We showed a payload of 97643, but in actuality had an additional 1200 pounds, which was found by weighing the pallets after download.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC8-63 FREIGHTER WAS MET BY FAA TO CHK CARGO LOADING. FOUND 1200 LB ERROR AND 2 MIS-LOADED PALLET AND LOCKS NOT PROPERLY SECURED. FLC PAPERWORK WAS IN ORDER BASED ON THE INFO SUPPLIED BY THE FOREIGN LOAD PLANNER IN COSTA RICA. ACFT WAS OPERATED WITHIN LIMITS.

Narrative: MY FLT WAS RAMP INSPECTED BY THE FAA UPON ARR IN MIAMI, FL. THIS WAS A SCHEDULED CARGO SUB-SVC FLT FOR XYZ, THE FLAG ACR OF COSTA RICA. THIS AIRLINE DOES ALL CARGO SVCS AND LOADING FOR THIS FLT. I WAS INFORMED BY MY COMPANY THAT, DURING THE DOWN LOADING OF THE CARGO, THE FAA INSPECTORS DISCOVERED THE ACFT WAS MIS-LOADED (BUT WITHIN LIMITS), THAT THE PALLET LOCKS IN THE AFT 2 SECTIONS OF THE ACFT, POS 17 AND 18, WERE NOT PROPERLY LOCKED AND THAT A SMOKE BARRIER IN THE BELLY OF THE ACFT WAS MIS- CONFIGURED. ALSO NOTED WAS SOME PALLET NETS WERE IN POOR SHAPE AND NOT SECURED PROPERLY. I UNDERSTOOD THE OP TO BE THAT, WHEN THE STATION LOADING MGR HANDED ME THE FINAL LOAD PLAN AND STATED LOADING WAS COMPLETE, THIS MEANT LOADED PROPERLY. I HAVE NOW LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE. AT THE TIME OF LOADING, I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH CHKING PERFORMANCE COMPUTATIONS FOR MAINT PAYLOAD FLT AND OTHER PREFLT DUTIES. NOW I REALIZE THAT MY ATTN SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DIRECTED TO THE LOADING PROC. THESE PROBS WERE UNINTENTIONAL AND I HAVE TAKEN IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO INSURE THAT IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. I NOW PERSONALLY INSPECT ALL CARGO FOR LOADING SECURITY AND ASK MY CREW TO DO THE SAME. NEW PALLET NETS ARE BEING USED BY XYZ NOW AND I HAVE TAKEN A LOAD MASTER ON THE TRIP. MY TRIP PAPERWORK WAS INSPECTED AND FOUND TO BE PERFECT, INCLUDING THE WT AND BAL WHICH WAS PREPARED BY MY CREW USING A XYZ SUPPLIED LIST OF CARGO WTS. WE SHOWED A PAYLOAD OF 97643, BUT IN ACTUALITY HAD AN ADDITIONAL 1200 LBS, WHICH WAS FOUND BY WEIGHING THE PALLETS AFTER DOWNLOAD.

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.