Narrative:

I received an e-mail early on oct/mon/05 from an air cargo check airman pointing out a reduction in takeoff weight on 2 aircraft. It seems that due to components incorporated from air carrier to air carrier landing gear; that a temporary takeoff weight reduction from 630500 pounds to 618000 pounds was in effect on aircraft X and aircraft Y. This information was not disseminated by bulletin; memo or company channel. I do not recall this limitation on any flight plans previous to oct/sun/05 and did not notice it on the flight plan though I heard in retrospect that it was there and I missed it. The flight was operating late with a contract load master and he wasn't aware of any limitation. Apparently; maintenance had only notified dispatch and the information had not gone to flight operations; training or the model manager. Upon receipt of the e-mail; I contacted my director of safety; and model manager. My estimated takeoff weight was approximately 619400 pounds. While I acknowledge what appears to be an oversight on my part; I believe a lack of proper information dissemination created this situation. I was tasked with a particularly difficult flight with a complicated MEL procedure (3 pages) to get the aircraft started and a brand new first officer in the right seat. None of the 3 pilots noted the reduced takeoff weight on the flight plan (a re-dispatch) not printed in the air carrier's normal format. No one can accurately tell me when this weight reduction came to knowledge; who told who; and by what method. I am; as captain; ultimately responsible; did in all good faith operate this flight within known limitations and company procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD11 WAS DISPATCHED 1400 LBS OVERWT DUE TO LACK OF CREW; TECHNICIAN AND LOADMASTER KNOWLEDGE OF CHANGE TO LNDG GEAR COMPONENTS.

Narrative: I RECEIVED AN E-MAIL EARLY ON OCT/MON/05 FROM AN AIR CARGO CHK AIRMAN POINTING OUT A REDUCTION IN TKOF WT ON 2 ACFT. IT SEEMS THAT DUE TO COMPONENTS INCORPORATED FROM ACR TO ACR LNDG GEAR; THAT A TEMPORARY TKOF WT REDUCTION FROM 630500 LBS TO 618000 LBS WAS IN EFFECT ON ACFT X AND ACFT Y. THIS INFO WAS NOT DISSEMINATED BY BULLETIN; MEMO OR COMPANY CHANNEL. I DO NOT RECALL THIS LIMITATION ON ANY FLT PLANS PREVIOUS TO OCT/SUN/05 AND DID NOT NOTICE IT ON THE FLT PLAN THOUGH I HEARD IN RETROSPECT THAT IT WAS THERE AND I MISSED IT. THE FLT WAS OPERATING LATE WITH A CONTRACT LOAD MASTER AND HE WASN'T AWARE OF ANY LIMITATION. APPARENTLY; MAINT HAD ONLY NOTIFIED DISPATCH AND THE INFO HAD NOT GONE TO FLT OPS; TRAINING OR THE MODEL MGR. UPON RECEIPT OF THE E-MAIL; I CONTACTED MY DIRECTOR OF SAFETY; AND MODEL MGR. MY ESTIMATED TKOF WT WAS APPROX 619400 LBS. WHILE I ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN OVERSIGHT ON MY PART; I BELIEVE A LACK OF PROPER INFO DISSEMINATION CREATED THIS SITUATION. I WAS TASKED WITH A PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT FLT WITH A COMPLICATED MEL PROC (3 PAGES) TO GET THE ACFT STARTED AND A BRAND NEW FO IN THE R SEAT. NONE OF THE 3 PLTS NOTED THE REDUCED TKOF WT ON THE FLT PLAN (A RE-DISPATCH) NOT PRINTED IN THE ACR'S NORMAL FORMAT. NO ONE CAN ACCURATELY TELL ME WHEN THIS WT REDUCTION CAME TO KNOWLEDGE; WHO TOLD WHO; AND BY WHAT METHOD. I AM; AS CAPT; ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE; DID IN ALL GOOD FAITH OPERATE THIS FLT WITHIN KNOWN LIMITATIONS AND COMPANY PROCS.

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.