Narrative:

This report is about the error on the weight and balance calculation that resulted in exceeding the zero fuel weight by 50 pounds. All the other numbers were within the limits. It was the first flight of the day. There was not much time to spare. When I showed up at the airport, the operations informed us that there would be an FAA inspector doing a line check on us. During the preparation for the departure, we had to talk to the FAA inspector about the line check and did the necessary paperwork. The FAA inspector came onboard before the general passenger boarding. Meanwhile, the flight attendant had to talk to the operations about the customer service issue that took place on the previous day with them. She came to the aircraft to get ready for the flight at about 20 mins before the departure time. (30 mins before is the usual.) then, she found out that the aircraft was not cleaned for the first flight of the day during its overnight stay. We got the assistance from the ground crews to clean and finish. The general passenger boarding was started at about 10 mins before the departure time. (15 mins before is the usual.) the flight was full with the FAA inspector in the actual jumpseat. The coordination with the FAA inspector was required during the passenger boarding. The flight attendant requested him to wait outside due to the limited space around the passenger entrance area of this aircraft. So, he did. Then he came onboard again at about 5 mins before the departure time. (At this time, we do the final paperwork and get ready to close all doors, usually.) we gave him the final briefing about riding in the jumpseat. Also, the ground crew gave us the aircraft loading information. Finally, I completed the paperwork and departed. The non-routine sits above required my additional attention and the additional time for the preparation. After the completion of the flight and all the passenger including the FAA inspector left the aircraft, I found the error on the weight and balance calculation. I forgot to include the weight of the FAA inspector in the actual jumpseat. It resulted in exceeding the zero fuel weight by 50 pounds. All the other numbers including the weights and the center's of gravity for takeoff and landing were within the limits.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE WT AND BAL COMPUTATIONS ON AN EMB120 FLT ARE OFF BY 50 LBS ON THE ZERO FUEL WT NUMBERS PRIOR TO DEP AT BFL, CA.

Narrative: THIS RPT IS ABOUT THE ERROR ON THE WT AND BAL CALCULATION THAT RESULTED IN EXCEEDING THE ZERO FUEL WT BY 50 LBS. ALL THE OTHER NUMBERS WERE WITHIN THE LIMITS. IT WAS THE FIRST FLT OF THE DAY. THERE WAS NOT MUCH TIME TO SPARE. WHEN I SHOWED UP AT THE ARPT, THE OPS INFORMED US THAT THERE WOULD BE AN FAA INSPECTOR DOING A LINE CHK ON US. DURING THE PREPARATION FOR THE DEP, WE HAD TO TALK TO THE FAA INSPECTOR ABOUT THE LINE CHK AND DID THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK. THE FAA INSPECTOR CAME ONBOARD BEFORE THE GENERAL PAX BOARDING. MEANWHILE, THE FLT ATTENDANT HAD TO TALK TO THE OPS ABOUT THE CUSTOMER SVC ISSUE THAT TOOK PLACE ON THE PREVIOUS DAY WITH THEM. SHE CAME TO THE ACFT TO GET READY FOR THE FLT AT ABOUT 20 MINS BEFORE THE DEP TIME. (30 MINS BEFORE IS THE USUAL.) THEN, SHE FOUND OUT THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT CLEANED FOR THE FIRST FLT OF THE DAY DURING ITS OVERNIGHT STAY. WE GOT THE ASSISTANCE FROM THE GND CREWS TO CLEAN AND FINISH. THE GENERAL PAX BOARDING WAS STARTED AT ABOUT 10 MINS BEFORE THE DEP TIME. (15 MINS BEFORE IS THE USUAL.) THE FLT WAS FULL WITH THE FAA INSPECTOR IN THE ACTUAL JUMPSEAT. THE COORD WITH THE FAA INSPECTOR WAS REQUIRED DURING THE PAX BOARDING. THE FLT ATTENDANT REQUESTED HIM TO WAIT OUTSIDE DUE TO THE LIMITED SPACE AROUND THE PAX ENTRANCE AREA OF THIS ACFT. SO, HE DID. THEN HE CAME ONBOARD AGAIN AT ABOUT 5 MINS BEFORE THE DEP TIME. (AT THIS TIME, WE DO THE FINAL PAPERWORK AND GET READY TO CLOSE ALL DOORS, USUALLY.) WE GAVE HIM THE FINAL BRIEFING ABOUT RIDING IN THE JUMPSEAT. ALSO, THE GND CREW GAVE US THE ACFT LOADING INFO. FINALLY, I COMPLETED THE PAPERWORK AND DEPARTED. THE NON-ROUTINE SITS ABOVE REQUIRED MY ADDITIONAL ATTN AND THE ADDITIONAL TIME FOR THE PREPARATION. AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE FLT AND ALL THE PAX INCLUDING THE FAA INSPECTOR LEFT THE ACFT, I FOUND THE ERROR ON THE WT AND BAL CALCULATION. I FORGOT TO INCLUDE THE WT OF THE FAA INSPECTOR IN THE ACTUAL JUMPSEAT. IT RESULTED IN EXCEEDING THE ZERO FUEL WT BY 50 LBS. ALL THE OTHER NUMBERS INCLUDING THE WTS AND THE CTR'S OF GRAVITY FOR TKOF AND LNDG WERE WITHIN THE LIMITS.

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.