An overweight takeoff is inadvertently performed by the flight crew of an MD80 out of dfw, tx.

Attributes
ACN	539627
Time
Date	200202
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	539627
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	539757
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Company Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Required fuel for the trip was 31400 pounds. Being a new captain and wanting to stay ahead of the game, I ran the before starting engines checklist early and the fuel was verified at 31700 pounds. Boarding of the 119 passenger was delayed due to late cleaning of the aircraft and we pushed 13 mins late. The closeout was received just before takeoff and it showed us 1500 pounds light, ie, tow of 139700 pounds vice a ptow of 141200 pounds. On climb out we discovered that we were approximately 7000 pounds heavy on fuel. Conferring with the dispatcher he verified that the fuelers had made a mistake and put on an additional 7000 pounds of fuel on my aircraft, evidently during the period between checklist completion and pushback. We should have caught this on the before takeoff checklist but being rushed I just crosschecked the closeout against the takeoff performance sheet, thought we were 1500 pounds light and were good to go. I neglected to take the fuel gauge into the xchk. The takeoff was uneventful even though we were 5500 pounds over a tow. As a new captain, less than 25 hours, this was a sobering reminder that when things get rushed it's time to slow down, take my time and ensure everything is done correctly. The fuel gauge is now the first thing I check when getting the closeout.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN OVERWT TKOF IS INADVERTENTLY PERFORMED BY THE FLC OF AN MD80 OUT OF DFW, TX.

Narrative: REQUIRED FUEL FOR THE TRIP WAS 31400 LBS. BEING A NEW CAPT AND WANTING TO STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME, I RAN THE BEFORE STARTING ENGS CHKLIST EARLY AND THE FUEL WAS VERIFIED AT 31700 LBS. BOARDING OF THE 119 PAX WAS DELAYED DUE TO LATE CLEANING OF THE ACFT AND WE PUSHED 13 MINS LATE. THE CLOSEOUT WAS RECEIVED JUST BEFORE TKOF AND IT SHOWED US 1500 LBS LIGHT, IE, TOW OF 139700 LBS VICE A PTOW OF 141200 LBS. ON CLBOUT WE DISCOVERED THAT WE WERE APPROX 7000 LBS HVY ON FUEL. CONFERRING WITH THE DISPATCHER HE VERIFIED THAT THE FUELERS HAD MADE A MISTAKE AND PUT ON AN ADDITIONAL 7000 LBS OF FUEL ON MY ACFT, EVIDENTLY DURING THE PERIOD BTWN CHKLIST COMPLETION AND PUSHBACK. WE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THIS ON THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST BUT BEING RUSHED I JUST XCHKED THE CLOSEOUT AGAINST THE TKOF PERFORMANCE SHEET, THOUGHT WE WERE 1500 LBS LIGHT AND WERE GOOD TO GO. I NEGLECTED TO TAKE THE FUEL GAUGE INTO THE XCHK. THE TKOF WAS UNEVENTFUL EVEN THOUGH WE WERE 5500 LBS OVER A TOW. AS A NEW CAPT, LESS THAN 25 HRS, THIS WAS A SOBERING REMINDER THAT WHEN THINGS GET RUSHED IT'S TIME TO SLOW DOWN, TAKE MY TIME AND ENSURE EVERYTHING IS DONE CORRECTLY. THE FUEL GAUGE IS NOW THE FIRST THING I CHK WHEN GETTING THE CLOSEOUT.

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.