 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Flight crew of an large transport returned to gate for more fuel when they received an updated aircraft actual weight from dispatch since it was obvious that they would not have sufficient fuel for the planned trip.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 350250 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199610 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phl |
| State Reference | PA |
| 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 : holding ground other : taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 350250 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I received a release and flight plan from phl to lax showing a gross takeoff weight of 186000 pounds and a release fuel load of 50200 pounds. The numbers all added up and the 50200 pounds of fuel was on board as we left the gate. Then we received the final weight and balance over ACARS and to my surprise the gross takeoff weight was 226000 pounds. I did not need the computer to tell me that at that weight I was not going to be able to reach my filed altitude of FL410. Nor was I going to have sufficient fuel at lax. The FMC quickly confirmed my analysis of the situation and we returned to the gate for more fuel. The first mistake: the dispatcher erred in typing the payload into the computer when entering the flight plan, changing 42000 pounds to 4200 pounds. The second mistake: nobody listened to the bells going off in their head when a gross takeoff weight of 186000 pounds showed on a flight from phl to lax.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF AN LGT RETURNED TO GATE FOR MORE FUEL WHEN THEY RECEIVED AN UPDATED ACFT ACTUAL WT FROM DISPATCH SINCE IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR THE PLANNED TRIP.
Narrative: I RECEIVED A RELEASE AND FLT PLAN FROM PHL TO LAX SHOWING A GROSS TKOF WT OF 186000 LBS AND A RELEASE FUEL LOAD OF 50200 LBS. THE NUMBERS ALL ADDED UP AND THE 50200 LBS OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD AS WE LEFT THE GATE. THEN WE RECEIVED THE FINAL WT AND BAL OVER ACARS AND TO MY SURPRISE THE GROSS TKOF WT WAS 226000 LBS. I DID NOT NEED THE COMPUTER TO TELL ME THAT AT THAT WT I WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO REACH MY FILED ALT OF FL410. NOR WAS I GOING TO HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL AT LAX. THE FMC QUICKLY CONFIRMED MY ANALYSIS OF THE SIT AND WE RETURNED TO THE GATE FOR MORE FUEL. THE FIRST MISTAKE: THE DISPATCHER ERRED IN TYPING THE PAYLOAD INTO THE COMPUTER WHEN ENTERING THE FLT PLAN, CHANGING 42000 LBS TO 4200 LBS. THE SECOND MISTAKE: NOBODY LISTENED TO THE BELLS GOING OFF IN THEIR HEAD WHEN A GROSS TKOF WT OF 186000 LBS SHOWED ON A FLT FROM PHL TO LAX.
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.