Narrative:

The problem arose due to the B727 being scheduled into rno airport and out on a non stop flight to dtw with oversold seats. This required certain amount of fuel to reach destination and a denied boarding of passenger due to weight restrs. The company obviously wants to carry as many passenger as possible up to maximum calculated weight. I questioned dispatch about his density altitude problems and dispatch agreed to lower my fuel load and gave me a new release to this effect. However, I was told by management if my fuel was reduced my passenger count would go up to make it still a maximum gross takeoff. I then informed dispatch that I would rather take fuel than people because if I had a problem I could dump fuel weight, but I wanted to take less people versus fuel. I got release #3 with less people, original fuel. I called dispatch back and let them know I was not happy with this decision. They assured me that everything was in compliance -- everything was go. Turns out that we almost flew through departure end approach lights due to poor performance. If anything had happened, ie, engine failure, windshear, dust devil, etc, this could have been a catastrophe flight. I feel that the need to fill passenger seats negated the logic and advice by me as the captain and I was sold a bill of goods that the aircraft was well within gross weight/altitude parameters for a safe takeoff when it was not -- and a very dangerous takeoff and low departure resulted. I feel that a higher performance aircraft such as B757 should be used on these hot months operating from rno-dtw. Or more of a safety margin should be adopted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW AT RNO STILL QUESTIONS ACCURACY AND INTENT OF DISPATCH AFTER TKOF HIGH ALT HOT DAY AND LONG TKOF ROLL.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE DUE TO THE B727 BEING SCHEDULED INTO RNO ARPT AND OUT ON A NON STOP FLT TO DTW WITH OVERSOLD SEATS. THIS REQUIRED CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FUEL TO REACH DEST AND A DENIED BOARDING OF PAX DUE TO WT RESTRS. THE COMPANY OBVIOUSLY WANTS TO CARRY AS MANY PAX AS POSSIBLE UP TO MAX CALCULATED WT. I QUESTIONED DISPATCH ABOUT HIS DENSITY ALT PROBS AND DISPATCH AGREED TO LOWER MY FUEL LOAD AND GAVE ME A NEW RELEASE TO THIS EFFECT. HOWEVER, I WAS TOLD BY MGMNT IF MY FUEL WAS REDUCED MY PAX COUNT WOULD GO UP TO MAKE IT STILL A MAX GROSS TKOF. I THEN INFORMED DISPATCH THAT I WOULD RATHER TAKE FUEL THAN PEOPLE BECAUSE IF I HAD A PROB I COULD DUMP FUEL WT, BUT I WANTED TO TAKE LESS PEOPLE VERSUS FUEL. I GOT RELEASE #3 WITH LESS PEOPLE, ORIGINAL FUEL. I CALLED DISPATCH BACK AND LET THEM KNOW I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THIS DECISION. THEY ASSURED ME THAT EVERYTHING WAS IN COMPLIANCE -- EVERYTHING WAS GO. TURNS OUT THAT WE ALMOST FLEW THROUGH DEP END APCH LIGHTS DUE TO POOR PERFORMANCE. IF ANYTHING HAD HAPPENED, IE, ENG FAILURE, WINDSHEAR, DUST DEVIL, ETC, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHE FLT. I FEEL THAT THE NEED TO FILL PAX SEATS NEGATED THE LOGIC AND ADVICE BY ME AS THE CAPT AND I WAS SOLD A BILL OF GOODS THAT THE ACFT WAS WELL WITHIN GROSS WT/ALT PARAMETERS FOR A SAFE TKOF WHEN IT WAS NOT -- AND A VERY DANGEROUS TKOF AND LOW DEP RESULTED. I FEEL THAT A HIGHER PERFORMANCE ACFT SUCH AS B757 SHOULD BE USED ON THESE HOT MONTHS OPERATING FROM RNO-DTW. OR MORE OF A SAFETY MARGIN SHOULD BE ADOPTED.

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.