Narrative:

Operations normal for commercial scheduled united states airline flight from frankfurt, germany, to iad, dc. During passenger boarding I was told by senior flight attendant that frankfurt passenger service was not going to board any 'non revenues' (company employees, dependents on passes) due to takeoff weight restr. Since the preliminary weight and balance indicated we would be at least 1000 pounds under our maximum, I decided to go out to the boarding area and check with the supervisor. I requested the non revenues be boarded and was told if we do that we'll have to take off 'revenue cargo.' I asked to talk to the load control department. I was advised I would be approximately 1500 pounds over total gross weight of 545000 pounds. I said fine, load the passenger and I'll burn the extra fuel during taxi to get the total gross weight under 545000 pounds. The preliminary passenger count was 12 flight crew, 163 passenger. The final count was 12 flight crew, 177 passenger. Additional 14 passenger. The company figures each passenger at 160 pounds. The new final weight and balance figures indicated we weighed 546700 pounds, or 1700 pounds over total gross weight. We discussed the situation in the cockpit and all the pilots agreed that since there was a large number of under 12 yrs old children on board that we were probably under our total gross weight maximum. Frankfurt advised we had a 'takeoff slot' time and would miss it if we didn't go now. We decided to go at that time and probably weighed around 546000 pounds on paper. My violation was that I should have corrected the weight and balance to reflect what we, the pilots, felt was the true total gross weight of the aircraft prior to taking off, or delayed my takeoff until the aircraft had burned the extra fuel off the indicators. Supplemental information from acn 354700: I was notified today, after the fact, that there may be some dispute about the weights. I am of the opinion then and now that the takeoff was legal, meeting all limitations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 IS ADVISED NON REVENUE PAX WILL NOT BE BOARDED ACCOUNT WT. CAPT GOES TO GATE AND DISCUSSES WITH AGENT TO PUT STANDBYS ON AND THEY WILL BURN FUEL TO MAX TKOF GROSS WT DURING TAXI. 14 PAX BOARDED AND ON TAXI TO RWY GIVEN IMMEDIATE TKOF AND POSSIBLY DEPARTED OVERWT BY 1000 LBS.

Narrative: OPS NORMAL FOR COMMERCIAL SCHEDULED UNITED STATES AIRLINE FLT FROM FRANKFURT, GERMANY, TO IAD, DC. DURING PAX BOARDING I WAS TOLD BY SENIOR FLT ATTENDANT THAT FRANKFURT PAX SVC WAS NOT GOING TO BOARD ANY 'NON REVENUES' (COMPANY EMPLOYEES, DEPENDENTS ON PASSES) DUE TO TKOF WT RESTR. SINCE THE PRELIMINARY WT AND BAL INDICATED WE WOULD BE AT LEAST 1000 LBS UNDER OUR MAX, I DECIDED TO GO OUT TO THE BOARDING AREA AND CHK WITH THE SUPVR. I REQUESTED THE NON REVENUES BE BOARDED AND WAS TOLD IF WE DO THAT WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE OFF 'REVENUE CARGO.' I ASKED TO TALK TO THE LOAD CTL DEPT. I WAS ADVISED I WOULD BE APPROX 1500 LBS OVER TOTAL GROSS WT OF 545000 LBS. I SAID FINE, LOAD THE PAX AND I'LL BURN THE EXTRA FUEL DURING TAXI TO GET THE TOTAL GROSS WT UNDER 545000 LBS. THE PRELIMINARY PAX COUNT WAS 12 FLC, 163 PAX. THE FINAL COUNT WAS 12 FLC, 177 PAX. ADDITIONAL 14 PAX. THE COMPANY FIGURES EACH PAX AT 160 LBS. THE NEW FINAL WT AND BAL FIGURES INDICATED WE WEIGHED 546700 LBS, OR 1700 LBS OVER TOTAL GROSS WT. WE DISCUSSED THE SIT IN THE COCKPIT AND ALL THE PLTS AGREED THAT SINCE THERE WAS A LARGE NUMBER OF UNDER 12 YRS OLD CHILDREN ON BOARD THAT WE WERE PROBABLY UNDER OUR TOTAL GROSS WT MAX. FRANKFURT ADVISED WE HAD A 'TKOF SLOT' TIME AND WOULD MISS IT IF WE DIDN'T GO NOW. WE DECIDED TO GO AT THAT TIME AND PROBABLY WEIGHED AROUND 546000 LBS ON PAPER. MY VIOLATION WAS THAT I SHOULD HAVE CORRECTED THE WT AND BAL TO REFLECT WHAT WE, THE PLTS, FELT WAS THE TRUE TOTAL GROSS WT OF THE ACFT PRIOR TO TAKING OFF, OR DELAYED MY TKOF UNTIL THE ACFT HAD BURNED THE EXTRA FUEL OFF THE INDICATORS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 354700: I WAS NOTIFIED TODAY, AFTER THE FACT, THAT THERE MAY BE SOME DISPUTE ABOUT THE WTS. I AM OF THE OPINION THEN AND NOW THAT THE TKOF WAS LEGAL, MEETING ALL LIMITATIONS.

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.