Carj pilot reports ground crews are not providing an accurate account of passenger bags boarded.

Attributes
ACN	693759
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 4800
ASRS Report	693759
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

I was operating this flight as an extra section from bos to sav. Everything appeared normal until we reached sav. After the plane was offloaded; a ramp agent came into the cockpit and asked me how many bags were supposed to be on the plane. I informed him that there were 40 standard checked bags and 2 colored tagged bags; according to the load slip we were given. He then informed me that we only had approximately 28 bags on board. He also informed me that the previous bos flight had only about 35 bags on it but the crew was told they had 50. He then told me about a flight from that was 50 passenger and 65 bags; while the crew was led to believe they only had 50 bags on board. These numbers could have disastrous implications. What I believe is happening is the ramp agents in bos are not counting the bags and are just writing down one bag per passenger. In our case we had 40 passenger and was told 40 bags. In the other 2 examples; they had 50 passenger and were told 50 bags. This has to stop.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARJ PLT RPTS GND CREWS ARE NOT PROVIDING AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF PAX BAGS BOARDED.

Narrative: I WAS OPERATING THIS FLT AS AN EXTRA SECTION FROM BOS TO SAV. EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL UNTIL WE REACHED SAV. AFTER THE PLANE WAS OFFLOADED; A RAMP AGENT CAME INTO THE COCKPIT AND ASKED ME HOW MANY BAGS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE PLANE. I INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WERE 40 STANDARD CHKED BAGS AND 2 COLORED TAGGED BAGS; ACCORDING TO THE LOAD SLIP WE WERE GIVEN. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT WE ONLY HAD APPROX 28 BAGS ON BOARD. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE PREVIOUS BOS FLT HAD ONLY ABOUT 35 BAGS ON IT BUT THE CREW WAS TOLD THEY HAD 50. HE THEN TOLD ME ABOUT A FLT FROM THAT WAS 50 PAX AND 65 BAGS; WHILE THE CREW WAS LED TO BELIEVE THEY ONLY HAD 50 BAGS ON BOARD. THESE NUMBERS COULD HAVE DISASTROUS IMPLICATIONS. WHAT I BELIEVE IS HAPPENING IS THE RAMP AGENTS IN BOS ARE NOT COUNTING THE BAGS AND ARE JUST WRITING DOWN ONE BAG PER PAX. IN OUR CASE WE HAD 40 PAX AND WAS TOLD 40 BAGS. IN THE OTHER 2 EXAMPLES; THEY HAD 50 PAX AND WERE TOLD 50 BAGS. THIS HAS TO STOP.

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.