Narrative:

Our ZFW was 78427 pounds rounded up on entry into the flight management computer to 78500 pounds. Our actual fuel at takeoff was 21400 pounds for a takeoff weight of 99900 pounds. Mtow is 101000 pounds structural. The aircraft felt heavy on takeoff. Our landing fuel was 8100 pounds for a landing weight of 86600 pounds and an approach speed of 133 KIAS computed by the FMC. Our actual approach was 138 or 139 KTS indicating our weight was greater than 86600 pounds. All overhead bins were maxed out with excessive carry-on bags. The weight of carry-on baggage is not monitored by FAA procedures except within the average passenger weight. I believe modern air travelers routinely bring heavy roll aboard luggage as well as handing bags and lap tops that are not included in current FAA weight and balance procedures and cause sits such as this. I wrote an E6 log entry explaining that excessive carry-on luggage may have pushed our weights above our computed weights in order to have the aircraft inspected. The FAA needs to change their weight and balance program to include the excessive carry-on baggage of the modern air traveler so that our weight is more accurately accounted for.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR FEELS ACFT TOOK OFF ABOVE MAX ALLOWABLE TKOF GROSS WT.

Narrative: OUR ZFW WAS 78427 LBS ROUNDED UP ON ENTRY INTO THE FLT MGMNT COMPUTER TO 78500 LBS. OUR ACTUAL FUEL AT TKOF WAS 21400 LBS FOR A TKOF WT OF 99900 LBS. MTOW IS 101000 LBS STRUCTURAL. THE ACFT FELT HVY ON TKOF. OUR LNDG FUEL WAS 8100 LBS FOR A LNDG WT OF 86600 LBS AND AN APCH SPD OF 133 KIAS COMPUTED BY THE FMC. OUR ACTUAL APCH WAS 138 OR 139 KTS INDICATING OUR WT WAS GREATER THAN 86600 LBS. ALL OVERHEAD BINS WERE MAXED OUT WITH EXCESSIVE CARRY-ON BAGS. THE WT OF CARRY-ON BAGGAGE IS NOT MONITORED BY FAA PROCS EXCEPT WITHIN THE AVERAGE PAX WT. I BELIEVE MODERN AIR TRAVELERS ROUTINELY BRING HVY ROLL ABOARD LUGGAGE AS WELL AS HANDING BAGS AND LAP TOPS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN CURRENT FAA WT AND BAL PROCS AND CAUSE SITS SUCH AS THIS. I WROTE AN E6 LOG ENTRY EXPLAINING THAT EXCESSIVE CARRY-ON LUGGAGE MAY HAVE PUSHED OUR WTS ABOVE OUR COMPUTED WTS IN ORDER TO HAVE THE ACFT INSPECTED. THE FAA NEEDS TO CHANGE THEIR WT AND BAL PROGRAM TO INCLUDE THE EXCESSIVE CARRY-ON BAGGAGE OF THE MODERN AIR TRAVELER SO THAT OUR WT IS MORE ACCURATELY ACCOUNTED FOR.

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.