Narrative:

Taxiing out to runway 8L on taxiway a before takeoff, tower asked us to call company. The first officer called while I taxied and monitored tower. The company called because our weight and balance manifest was incorrect. There was 'zero' fuel listed on the manifest. The numbers were corrected on the manifest and no change was needed on the FMC. I continued to taxi to the end of runway 8L, stopped, looked over the paperwork and departed without incident. When the agent handed me the manifest at the gate, I made sure it was the correct aircraft, set the zero fuel weight, added up the souls on board, and set the stabilizer trim. Previously I had confirmed the fuel on board with the flight plan. I did not notice that the fuel was zero on the manifest. My habit is to carefully check the flight plan, look at the release, and look over the weight and balance manifest. I have not had previous problems with fuel on the weight and balance manifest. It is often that the takeoff gross weight does not match the weight on the weight and balance form after entering the zero fuel weight, even if the on-board fuel matches the weight and balance. Also, the number of passenger sometimes is wrong. (However, many flight attendants will not count the passenger because they have been told by their management not to do so and I finally stopped asking for a recount.) why did this happen? This was my first flight after being off for a couple of weeks. I have been sick. The day before this flight the new ceo announced major cuts in personnel and the need for concessions. The newspaper ran a story about cancellation of some flying. Needless to say, I did not get much sleep the night before this flight. Everyone I saw at work the morning of this flight was talking and asking about who got fired or who resigned.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF B737-700 FAIL TO NOTICE WT MANIFEST INDICATED ZERO FUEL ON BOARD. ALERT LOAD PLANNER RESOLVED PRIOR TO TKOF.

Narrative: TAXIING OUT TO RWY 8L ON TXWY A BEFORE TKOF, TWR ASKED US TO CALL COMPANY. THE FO CALLED WHILE I TAXIED AND MONITORED TWR. THE COMPANY CALLED BECAUSE OUR WT AND BAL MANIFEST WAS INCORRECT. THERE WAS 'ZERO' FUEL LISTED ON THE MANIFEST. THE NUMBERS WERE CORRECTED ON THE MANIFEST AND NO CHANGE WAS NEEDED ON THE FMC. I CONTINUED TO TAXI TO THE END OF RWY 8L, STOPPED, LOOKED OVER THE PAPERWORK AND DEPARTED WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHEN THE AGENT HANDED ME THE MANIFEST AT THE GATE, I MADE SURE IT WAS THE CORRECT ACFT, SET THE ZERO FUEL WT, ADDED UP THE SOULS ON BOARD, AND SET THE STABILIZER TRIM. PREVIOUSLY I HAD CONFIRMED THE FUEL ON BOARD WITH THE FLT PLAN. I DID NOT NOTICE THAT THE FUEL WAS ZERO ON THE MANIFEST. MY HABIT IS TO CAREFULLY CHK THE FLT PLAN, LOOK AT THE RELEASE, AND LOOK OVER THE WT AND BAL MANIFEST. I HAVE NOT HAD PREVIOUS PROBS WITH FUEL ON THE WT AND BAL MANIFEST. IT IS OFTEN THAT THE TKOF GROSS WT DOES NOT MATCH THE WT ON THE WT AND BAL FORM AFTER ENTERING THE ZERO FUEL WT, EVEN IF THE ON-BOARD FUEL MATCHES THE WT AND BAL. ALSO, THE NUMBER OF PAX SOMETIMES IS WRONG. (HOWEVER, MANY FLT ATTENDANTS WILL NOT COUNT THE PAX BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THEIR MGMNT NOT TO DO SO AND I FINALLY STOPPED ASKING FOR A RECOUNT.) WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT AFTER BEING OFF FOR A COUPLE OF WKS. I HAVE BEEN SICK. THE DAY BEFORE THIS FLT THE NEW CEO ANNOUNCED MAJOR CUTS IN PERSONNEL AND THE NEED FOR CONCESSIONS. THE NEWSPAPER RAN A STORY ABOUT CANCELLATION OF SOME FLYING. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I DID NOT GET MUCH SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE THIS FLT. EVERYONE I SAW AT WORK THE MORNING OF THIS FLT WAS TALKING AND ASKING ABOUT WHO GOT FIRED OR WHO RESIGNED.

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.