Narrative:

Taking off from ZZZ we were heavy; but within limits on the closeout. Takeoff roll seemed long; but not out of the ordinary for heavy weights. Rotation was very heavy; took more effort and time than in my past experience. On climb out; our min maneuvering speed should have been about 254 KTS but was indicating 262 KTS. We thought maybe we were heavier than indicated and flew conservatively to ZZZ1. Stayed at lower altitudes until 6K lighter than required for next altitude. On descent we planned for 130K pound speeds instead of the 124K indicated. Used 137 KT bug instead of 129 KT bug. Due to high/fast approach profiles into ZZZ1 didn't get much of a feel for it until relatively close in to landing. Last 20 ft; flying around 138-142 KTS sink rate was unarrestable; ran out of elevator authority and landed firmly. Asked operations to perform an audit of the cargo holds upon blocking in; then monitored the offload personally. By my math (based on crew chief's assessment) we had 3960 pounds in forward; 1870 pounds in mid; and 2100 pounds in aft cargo. This comes to 7930 pounds versus release of 6150 pounds I believe. The report at departure had a plan of 1030 pounds fwd; 2423 pounds mid; and 2600 pounds aft. This comes to about 3000 pounds heavy in forward; and 500 pounds light in aft. In think that the heavy rotation; and the lack of elevator authority on landing; as well as the high alpha speeds perhaps from additional tail-down force required; are all symptoms of an incorrectly loaded aircraft; with an incorrect cg on the closeout. In short; a very nose heavy aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FO REPORTS THAT THE ACFT FREIGHT WAS MISLOADED; RESULTING IN AN OUT OF BALANCE ACFT AND A FIRM LNDG WHEN ELEVATOR CTL WAS LOST IN THE LNDG FLARE.

Narrative: TAKING OFF FROM ZZZ WE WERE HEAVY; BUT WITHIN LIMITS ON THE CLOSEOUT. TAKEOFF ROLL SEEMED LONG; BUT NOT OUT OF THE ORDINARY FOR HEAVY WEIGHTS. ROTATION WAS VERY HEAVY; TOOK MORE EFFORT AND TIME THAN IN MY PAST EXPERIENCE. ON CLBOUT; OUR MIN MANEUVERING SPD SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 254 KTS BUT WAS INDICATING 262 KTS. WE THOUGHT MAYBE WE WERE HEAVIER THAN INDICATED AND FLEW CONSERVATIVELY TO ZZZ1. STAYED AT LOWER ALTS UNTIL 6K LIGHTER THAN REQUIRED FOR NEXT ALT. ON DESCENT WE PLANNED FOR 130K POUND SPDS INSTEAD OF THE 124K INDICATED. USED 137 KT BUG INSTEAD OF 129 KT BUG. DUE TO HIGH/FAST APCH PROFILES INTO ZZZ1 DIDN'T GET MUCH OF A FEEL FOR IT UNTIL RELATIVELY CLOSE IN TO LNDG. LAST 20 FT; FLYING AROUND 138-142 KTS SINK RATE WAS UNARRESTABLE; RAN OUT OF ELEVATOR AUTHORITY AND LANDED FIRMLY. ASKED OPS TO PERFORM AN AUDIT OF THE CARGO HOLDS UPON BLOCKING IN; THEN MONITORED THE OFFLOAD PERSONALLY. BY MY MATH (BASED ON CREW CHIEF'S ASSESSMENT) WE HAD 3960 LBS IN FORWARD; 1870 LBS IN MID; AND 2100 LBS IN AFT CARGO. THIS COMES TO 7930 LBS VERSUS RELEASE OF 6150 LBS I BELIEVE. THE REPORT AT DEP HAD A PLAN OF 1030 LBS FWD; 2423 LBS MID; AND 2600 LBS AFT. THIS COMES TO ABOUT 3000 LBS HEAVY IN FORWARD; AND 500 LBS LIGHT IN AFT. IN THINK THAT THE HEAVY ROTATION; AND THE LACK OF ELEVATOR AUTHORITY ON LNDG; AS WELL AS THE HIGH ALPHA SPEEDS PERHAPS FROM ADDITIONAL TAIL-DOWN FORCE REQUIRED; ARE ALL SYMPTOMS OF AN INCORRECTLY LOADED ACFT; WITH AN INCORRECT CG ON THE CLOSEOUT. IN SHORT; A VERY NOSE HEAVY ACFT.

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.