<< >> NASA ASRS Report 382570, October 1997

Flight crew of a B737-400 failed to include an extra cabin attendant on the flight weight and balance manifest, resulting in an incorrect weight and balance computation on departure. Reporter complains that there is no provision in the weight and balance computation data for a 5TH cabin attendant.

Attributes
ACN	382570
Time
Date	199710
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ama
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	382570
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ACARS weight and balance. Supplemental flight attendant on board, did not come up on ACARS weight and balance message. Did not notice until airborne. Not a safety factor for performance, but still should be accurate. Company procedures for weight and balance impossible to find regarding supplemental flight attendant. We tried for 30 mins to find reference in policy manual, aircraft manual and special bulletins. B737-400 normal flight attendants are 4 minimum 3. In this case we had 5. One in a passenger seat. Observer in cockpit said with 5, weight and balance should show extra flight attendant specifically and not show flight attendant as a passenger. We couldn't confirm with our manuals. It is rare to have a 5TH flight attendant. Recommend manuals must have an index plus less 'boiler plate.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B737-400 FAILED TO INCLUDE AN EXTRA CABIN ATTENDANT ON THE FLT WT AND BAL MANIFEST, RESULTING IN AN INCORRECT WT AND BAL COMPUTATION ON DEP. RPTR COMPLAINS THAT THERE IS NO PROVISION IN THE WT AND BAL COMPUTATION DATA FOR A 5TH CABIN ATTENDANT.

Narrative: ACARS WT AND BAL. SUPPLEMENTAL FLT ATTENDANT ON BOARD, DID NOT COME UP ON ACARS WT AND BAL MESSAGE. DID NOT NOTICE UNTIL AIRBORNE. NOT A SAFETY FACTOR FOR PERFORMANCE, BUT STILL SHOULD BE ACCURATE. COMPANY PROCS FOR WT AND BAL IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND REGARDING SUPPLEMENTAL FLT ATTENDANT. WE TRIED FOR 30 MINS TO FIND REF IN POLICY MANUAL, ACFT MANUAL AND SPECIAL BULLETINS. B737-400 NORMAL FLT ATTENDANTS ARE 4 MINIMUM 3. IN THIS CASE WE HAD 5. ONE IN A PAX SEAT. OBSERVER IN COCKPIT SAID WITH 5, WT AND BAL SHOULD SHOW EXTRA FLT ATTENDANT SPECIFICALLY AND NOT SHOW FLT ATTENDANT AS A PAX. WE COULDN'T CONFIRM WITH OUR MANUALS. IT IS RARE TO HAVE A 5TH FLT ATTENDANT. RECOMMEND MANUALS MUST HAVE AN INDEX PLUS LESS 'BOILER PLATE.'

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.