Narrative:

During climb out from sjc when I called in the out/off times the operations agent informed me that he had used a loading schedule for another flight. When the operations agent gave us the electronic weight and balance loading schedule I checked the fuel audit; operating empty weight; passenger count; weight and balance information; correct form (XXX); etc. I was focused on the weight and balance data. Since the dispatch release data; such as tail number; flight number; etc; are automatically added to the sheet I was less focused on that section. During the busy time that the operations agent brings the loading schedule to the flight deck there are often interruptions and there is the consideration for pushing the aircraft on time. I think there is a tendency to believe the computer generated data is more accurate. However; the expression 'garbage in; garbage out' comes to mind here. The oew was correct and the weight and balance data was correct and matched what we expected to find. Clearly it is important to check every entry on the form regardless of how long it takes. It would be a good idea to emphasize the limitation of this technology. Even though the calculations are more accurate there is still the possibility of 'operator error.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 FLT CREW RECEIVES FINAL WT AND BAL DATA FOR A DIFFERENT FLT.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT FROM SJC WHEN I CALLED IN THE OUT/OFF TIMES THE OPS AGENT INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD USED A LOADING SCHEDULE FOR ANOTHER FLT. WHEN THE OPS AGENT GAVE US THE ELECTRONIC WT AND BAL LOADING SCHEDULE I CHKED THE FUEL AUDIT; OPERATING EMPTY WT; PAX COUNT; WT AND BAL INFO; CORRECT FORM (XXX); ETC. I WAS FOCUSED ON THE WT AND BAL DATA. SINCE THE DISPATCH RELEASE DATA; SUCH AS TAIL NUMBER; FLT NUMBER; ETC; ARE AUTOMATICALLY ADDED TO THE SHEET I WAS LESS FOCUSED ON THAT SECTION. DURING THE BUSY TIME THAT THE OPS AGENT BRINGS THE LOADING SCHEDULE TO THE FLT DECK THERE ARE OFTEN INTERRUPTIONS AND THERE IS THE CONSIDERATION FOR PUSHING THE ACFT ON TIME. I THINK THERE IS A TENDENCY TO BELIEVE THE COMPUTER GENERATED DATA IS MORE ACCURATE. HOWEVER; THE EXPRESSION 'GARBAGE IN; GARBAGE OUT' COMES TO MIND HERE. THE OEW WAS CORRECT AND THE WT AND BAL DATA WAS CORRECT AND MATCHED WHAT WE EXPECTED TO FIND. CLEARLY IT IS IMPORTANT TO CHK EVERY ENTRY ON THE FORM REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG IT TAKES. IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO EMPHASIZE THE LIMITATION OF THIS TECHNOLOGY. EVEN THOUGH THE CALCULATIONS ARE MORE ACCURATE THERE IS STILL THE POSSIBILITY OF 'OPERATOR ERROR.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.