Narrative:

We were assigned runway 32L intersection T10 for takeoff by ord ground control. First officer pulled up new runway performance for this runway/intersection since we were anticipating being assigned runway 4L. We had already received our final weight manifest. The first officer only input the runway code (32LK) for a runway 32L T10 takeoff and let the ACARS system automatically fill in the rest. What came back was runway performance for a takeoff gross weight 2200 pounds less than our actual zero fuel weight. Our correct takeoff gross weight was 116.8 pounds and our correct zero fuel weight was 103.4 pounds. What came back on the ACARS was a zero fuel weight of 103.4 (correct) and a takeoff gross weight of 101.2 (2.2 less than zero fuel weight and 15.6 less than actual takeoff gross weight!). The only thing that I can think of that caused this was that this aircraft had the atsu type ACARS setup and it puts in the aircraft weight taken from the FMGC. If the first officer had mistakenly put in the wrong zero fuel weight it could have caused an error. However; my first officer swears he didn't put in the wrong zero fuel weight and the gross weight on the lower ECAM showed correctly and we never got an error message that will occur when the gross weight is off by over 10000 pounds. In our case; since we were so light; this wasn't a serious problem as our runway limit for a reduced thrust takeoff was 133.4 pounds and since our real takeoff gross weight was 116.8 pounds using the performance data it gave us was no problem. However; if this were to happen to a flight that is up against its runway limit; it could be a serious safety issue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF A319 RECEIVE INCORRECT TOGW FROM ACARS WT MANIFEST. SHOWED TKOF GROSS WT LESS THAN ZERO FUEL WT.

Narrative: WE WERE ASSIGNED RWY 32L INTXN T10 FOR TKOF BY ORD GND CTL. FO PULLED UP NEW RWY PERFORMANCE FOR THIS RWY/INTXN SINCE WE WERE ANTICIPATING BEING ASSIGNED RWY 4L. WE HAD ALREADY RECEIVED OUR FINAL WT MANIFEST. THE FO ONLY INPUT THE RWY CODE (32LK) FOR A RWY 32L T10 TKOF AND LET THE ACARS SYS AUTOMATICALLY FILL IN THE REST. WHAT CAME BACK WAS RWY PERFORMANCE FOR A TKOF GROSS WT 2200 LBS LESS THAN OUR ACTUAL ZERO FUEL WT. OUR CORRECT TKOF GROSS WT WAS 116.8 LBS AND OUR CORRECT ZERO FUEL WT WAS 103.4 LBS. WHAT CAME BACK ON THE ACARS WAS A ZERO FUEL WT OF 103.4 (CORRECT) AND A TKOF GROSS WT OF 101.2 (2.2 LESS THAN ZERO FUEL WT AND 15.6 LESS THAN ACTUAL TKOF GROSS WT!). THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN THINK OF THAT CAUSED THIS WAS THAT THIS ACFT HAD THE ATSU TYPE ACARS SETUP AND IT PUTS IN THE ACFT WT TAKEN FROM THE FMGC. IF THE FO HAD MISTAKENLY PUT IN THE WRONG ZERO FUEL WT IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ERROR. HOWEVER; MY FO SWEARS HE DIDN'T PUT IN THE WRONG ZERO FUEL WT AND THE GROSS WT ON THE LOWER ECAM SHOWED CORRECTLY AND WE NEVER GOT AN ERROR MESSAGE THAT WILL OCCUR WHEN THE GROSS WT IS OFF BY OVER 10000 LBS. IN OUR CASE; SINCE WE WERE SO LIGHT; THIS WASN'T A SERIOUS PROB AS OUR RWY LIMIT FOR A REDUCED THRUST TKOF WAS 133.4 LBS AND SINCE OUR REAL TKOF GROSS WT WAS 116.8 LBS USING THE PERFORMANCE DATA IT GAVE US WAS NO PROB. HOWEVER; IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN TO A FLT THAT IS UP AGAINST ITS RWY LIMIT; IT COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.

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.