Narrative:

I took a football charter from iad to tpa on jul/xx/97. The aircraft papers indicated that the aircraft would be just 100 pounds or so below its maximum structural gross weight for takeoff. Takeoff was done from runway 30 at iad. Abnormally long ground roll, climb performance was marginal both dirty and during clean-up. Flight was flight planned for FL310. At about FL260, rate of climb was less than 500 FPM. Aircraft could not make FL310 and stayed at FL260. When I rechked weight and balance, I saw that we had 100 passenger and 'normal' passenger and carry-on weight of 212 pounds was used to calculate cabin weight. This weight is a facetious weight with a football team. I watched these guys disembark in tampa. They are gigantic and all carried very large equipment duffel bags. I think the aircraft was probably a good 8000-10000 pounds over planned weight and far in excess of structural gross weight. Sadly, I think the dispatcher knew all this beforehand but also knew that the only way he could get the aircraft off the ground and on its way was to use 'average normal weights.' this is not right. Abnormal passenger loads, troops, football teams, sumo wrestlers, etc, should require actual weights for dispatch.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLC DEPARTS ABOUT 8000 LBS OVERWT ON A FOOTBALL TEAM CHARTER FLT. DISPATCH USED 'NORMAL' AVERAGE WT OF PAX AND CARRY ON. FOOTBALL TEAMS ARE NOT NORMAL WT.

Narrative: I TOOK A FOOTBALL CHARTER FROM IAD TO TPA ON JUL/XX/97. THE ACFT PAPERS INDICATED THAT THE ACFT WOULD BE JUST 100 LBS OR SO BELOW ITS MAX STRUCTURAL GROSS WT FOR TKOF. TKOF WAS DONE FROM RWY 30 AT IAD. ABNORMALLY LONG GND ROLL, CLB PERFORMANCE WAS MARGINAL BOTH DIRTY AND DURING CLEAN-UP. FLT WAS FLT PLANNED FOR FL310. AT ABOUT FL260, RATE OF CLB WAS LESS THAN 500 FPM. ACFT COULD NOT MAKE FL310 AND STAYED AT FL260. WHEN I RECHKED WT AND BAL, I SAW THAT WE HAD 100 PAX AND 'NORMAL' PAX AND CARRY-ON WT OF 212 LBS WAS USED TO CALCULATE CABIN WT. THIS WT IS A FACETIOUS WT WITH A FOOTBALL TEAM. I WATCHED THESE GUYS DISEMBARK IN TAMPA. THEY ARE GIGANTIC AND ALL CARRIED VERY LARGE EQUIP DUFFEL BAGS. I THINK THE ACFT WAS PROBABLY A GOOD 8000-10000 LBS OVER PLANNED WT AND FAR IN EXCESS OF STRUCTURAL GROSS WT. SADLY, I THINK THE DISPATCHER KNEW ALL THIS BEFOREHAND BUT ALSO KNEW THAT THE ONLY WAY HE COULD GET THE ACFT OFF THE GND AND ON ITS WAY WAS TO USE 'AVERAGE NORMAL WTS.' THIS IS NOT RIGHT. ABNORMAL PAX LOADS, TROOPS, FOOTBALL TEAMS, SUMO WRESTLERS, ETC, SHOULD REQUIRE ACTUAL WTS FOR DISPATCH.

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.