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Flight crew of a B767-200 diverted to land after computing fuel required to destination was not sufficient. This was caused by takeoff weight computed lighter and the fuel burn was consequently greater than flight planned due to inability to reach the higher flight plan altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 388265 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199712 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mdt |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B767-300 and 300 ER |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 388265 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Computer flight plan was based on a takeoff weight approximately 48000 pounds lighter than actual takeoff weight. Someone apparently omitted 2 zeros from the planned payload (ie, 5700 pounds versus 57000 pounds). As a result, fuel burn was greater due to weight difference and inability to reach flight plan altitude. It was necessary to divert to mdt (destination was phl). Landed with more than reserve fuel. I feel that this situation could have been avoided if we had noted flight plan weight versus actual takeoff weight. This is especially important on longer legs. (This flight was from lax to phl.) one contributing factor is the fact that the final gross weight is not sent to aircraft until after it has left the gate (via ACARS), which is usually a high workload period.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF A B767-200 DIVERTED TO LAND AFTER COMPUTING FUEL REQUIRED TO DEST WAS NOT SUFFICIENT. THIS WAS CAUSED BY TKOF WT COMPUTED LIGHTER AND THE FUEL BURN WAS CONSEQUENTLY GREATER THAN FLT PLANNED DUE TO INABILITY TO REACH THE HIGHER FLT PLAN ALT.
Narrative: COMPUTER FLT PLAN WAS BASED ON A TKOF WT APPROX 48000 LBS LIGHTER THAN ACTUAL TKOF WT. SOMEONE APPARENTLY OMITTED 2 ZEROS FROM THE PLANNED PAYLOAD (IE, 5700 LBS VERSUS 57000 LBS). AS A RESULT, FUEL BURN WAS GREATER DUE TO WT DIFFERENCE AND INABILITY TO REACH FLT PLAN ALT. IT WAS NECESSARY TO DIVERT TO MDT (DEST WAS PHL). LANDED WITH MORE THAN RESERVE FUEL. I FEEL THAT THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF WE HAD NOTED FLT PLAN WT VERSUS ACTUAL TKOF WT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT ON LONGER LEGS. (THIS FLT WAS FROM LAX TO PHL.) ONE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THE FACT THAT THE FINAL GROSS WT IS NOT SENT TO ACFT UNTIL AFTER IT HAS LEFT THE GATE (VIA ACARS), WHICH IS USUALLY A HIGH WORKLOAD PERIOD.
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.