B727 cargo operation departed ewr overweight after incomplete manual weight and balance calculations...

Attributes
ACN	421691
Time
Date	199811
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	421691
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	421430
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During weight and balance computation with company computer, computer indicated exceeds limits and returned to position P7. On checking all position maximum weight and reusing computer, caused same results. The computer was considered in error. The weight and balance was then computed manually and flight departed on time. 8 days later, the crew was informed by management that the Z7-Z9 zone limits were exceeded. Contributing factors: load master loaded aircraft in error. Weight and balance forms are different between our fleet of 5 different models. This form had the zone limits in a box, but as other forms show the words zone limits, this form did not have a designation. As always, the urgency to depart on time! Corrective actions: 1) advise load master that there is a problem. That way, one more person may have found the error. 2) notify the company and have them work out a weight and balance, even if you do a manual one. 3) if there's a problem, being on time should be secondary!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CARGO OP DEPARTED EWR OVERWT AFTER INCOMPLETE MANUAL WT AND BAL CALCULATIONS.

Narrative: DURING WT AND BAL COMPUTATION WITH COMPANY COMPUTER, COMPUTER INDICATED EXCEEDS LIMITS AND RETURNED TO POS P7. ON CHKING ALL POS MAX WT AND REUSING COMPUTER, CAUSED SAME RESULTS. THE COMPUTER WAS CONSIDERED IN ERROR. THE WT AND BAL WAS THEN COMPUTED MANUALLY AND FLT DEPARTED ON TIME. 8 DAYS LATER, THE CREW WAS INFORMED BY MGMNT THAT THE Z7-Z9 ZONE LIMITS WERE EXCEEDED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LOAD MASTER LOADED ACFT IN ERROR. WT AND BAL FORMS ARE DIFFERENT BTWN OUR FLEET OF 5 DIFFERENT MODELS. THIS FORM HAD THE ZONE LIMITS IN A BOX, BUT AS OTHER FORMS SHOW THE WORDS ZONE LIMITS, THIS FORM DID NOT HAVE A DESIGNATION. AS ALWAYS, THE URGENCY TO DEPART ON TIME! CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: 1) ADVISE LOAD MASTER THAT THERE IS A PROB. THAT WAY, ONE MORE PERSON MAY HAVE FOUND THE ERROR. 2) NOTIFY THE COMPANY AND HAVE THEM WORK OUT A WT AND BAL, EVEN IF YOU DO A MANUAL ONE. 3) IF THERE'S A PROB, BEING ON TIME SHOULD BE SECONDARY!

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.