Captain of a british jetstream BA41 noticed that the aircraft was not steerable during taxi out unless differential power was used due to excessive aft center of gravity limits. He returned to the gate where baggage in the aft cargo compartment was weighed and found 500 pounds overweight. The excess weight was removed and the flight departed with no further problems.

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Attributes
ACN	422306
Time
Date	199812
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 41
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 3900 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	422306
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The weight and balance form was handed to me indicating we had 1104 pounds in the aft cargo compartment, maximum capacity is 1200 pounds. My first officer figured the center of gravity to be aft but within limits. After 20-30 ft of taxi, I noticed that the tiller inputs were 'unnoticed' by the aircraft and that the aircraft will only turn by using differential brakes and power. I taxied back to the parking spot and requested a new bag count. After the ramp supervisor got involved it was determined the weight in the aft cargo compartment was 1700 pounds! Our FAA approved bag program counts a typical checked bag as 24 pounds with a clear instruction to count heavy bags as 2, 3 or even 4 if needed. If the people who load the aircraft neglect to follow the rule, we as a flight crew have no means of knowing it unless it is so out of balance that we cannot even taxi. After removing 500 pounds and bringing the aft cargo compartment to 1200 pounds, we departed to dca with no further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A BRITISH JETSTREAM BA41 NOTICED THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT STEERABLE DURING TAXI OUT UNLESS DIFFERENTIAL PWR WAS USED DUE TO EXCESSIVE AFT CTR OF GRAVITY LIMITS. HE RETURNED TO THE GATE WHERE BAGGAGE IN THE AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT WAS WEIGHED AND FOUND 500 LBS OVERWT. THE EXCESS WT WAS REMOVED AND THE FLT DEPARTED WITH NO FURTHER PROBS.

Narrative: THE WT AND BAL FORM WAS HANDED TO ME INDICATING WE HAD 1104 LBS IN THE AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT, MAX CAPACITY IS 1200 LBS. MY FO FIGURED THE CTR OF GRAVITY TO BE AFT BUT WITHIN LIMITS. AFTER 20-30 FT OF TAXI, I NOTICED THAT THE TILLER INPUTS WERE 'UNNOTICED' BY THE ACFT AND THAT THE ACFT WILL ONLY TURN BY USING DIFFERENTIAL BRAKES AND PWR. I TAXIED BACK TO THE PARKING SPOT AND REQUESTED A NEW BAG COUNT. AFTER THE RAMP SUPVR GOT INVOLVED IT WAS DETERMINED THE WT IN THE AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT WAS 1700 LBS! OUR FAA APPROVED BAG PROGRAM COUNTS A TYPICAL CHKED BAG AS 24 LBS WITH A CLR INSTRUCTION TO COUNT HVY BAGS AS 2, 3 OR EVEN 4 IF NEEDED. IF THE PEOPLE WHO LOAD THE ACFT NEGLECT TO FOLLOW THE RULE, WE AS A FLC HAVE NO MEANS OF KNOWING IT UNLESS IT IS SO OUT OF BAL THAT WE CANNOT EVEN TAXI. AFTER REMOVING 500 LBS AND BRINGING THE AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT TO 1200 LBS, WE DEPARTED TO DCA WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.