Narrative:

When we showed for our flight at san; the operations agent gave me the preliminary weight and balance information; and we discussed the fact that we were 391 pounds from our maximum takeoff gross weight of 136.3 pounds. When she brought the final numbers; I watched while the first officer entered the numbers on his FMGC screen and sent the data. Since the first officer was on the aoc to performance data page; I had my FMGC selected to the performance takeoff page as I thought the awp training supplement dated jul/xa/06 suggested: 'note: if either crew member monitors the FMGC performance takeoff page in anticipation of performance data; a 'performance data uplink' scratch pad message may appear in addition to the 'takeoff data uplink' scratch pad message. Performance data uplink signifies zero fuel weight and zero fuel weight center of gravity have been updated on the init B page.' the operations agent asked if it was good and started to leave the airplane. Both the first officer and I stopped her and told her that the numbers were sent but we didn't know if they were good yet. (The first officer was on the takeoff data page 2 at that time; and the screen showed 'no takeoff data available.') I was talking to the operations agent when the first officer said that the numbers were coming in. I then turned and looked at my screen and saw that the takeoff performance data was uplinked; and so I thought that the numbers were good. The operations agent then left; and I proceeded with the pushback. While stopped in line during taxi; I looked at the runway data page 3 to review the engine out procedure; but the screen was blank; as were pages 4 and 5. I then looked at page 2 and saw 'flight release maximum takeoff weight exceeded by 109.' the first officer attempted to resend the data for a new solution while I checked the weights manually. The zero fuel weight (which was uplinked; not manually entered; so I thought it was accurate) showed 116.6. Our block fuel had been 19.5; which totaled our gross weight at 136.1 at push; less than the maximum allowable takeoff gross weight of 136.3. The sd screen gross weight showed 136.0 at that point; so I couldn't resolve why the awp indicated maximum takeoff weight exceeded by 109. Indicated a maximum takeoff weight of 147.1; so I knew that our weight was good for takeoff; and it appeared that we were less than maximum allowable takeoff gross weight; which was based on landing structural. Would not accept the resent data; so I decided to take off based on the fact that both the sd screen gross weight and the uplinked zero fuel weight plus block fuel indicated that we were below maximum allowable takeoff weight and well below maximum takeoff weight. I did not realize that apparently we had not received the takeoff data; only the performance data. Since I saw the zero fuel weight and takeoff performance page uplinked; I was under the impression that the information was good. I did not realize that the takeoff data had been denied. Apparently the information that I was looking at was from the preliminary data; not the final; which I did not realize. I missed the fact that we did not have the weight and balance numbers based on the final data; only takeoff performance and zero fuel weight based on the preliminary data. My efforts to effect an on-time departure combined with my inexperience with the new awp system (and the fact that we are still doing the 'old' way at many stations and the 'new' way at others) resulted in my pushing back from the gate without all of the weight and balance manifest information; and also without my knowledge or recognition that the final information was not there. Slow down the push! Don't let the pressure of an on-time departure rush the push. Don't let other people distract one from one's duties. More experience with the new system. As events like this occur; I learn more about it. Also; not trying to do the 'new' way at 'old' way station with old way information; or doing the 'old' way at 'old way stations and 'new' way at 'new' way stations. This is compounding the confusion. It will get easier when we are doing it the same way all of the time. It's a learning process; but unfortunately it's self-taught to some degree. Self-taught leaves room for erroneous lessons and misunderstood written guidance and instruction. I now understandthe value of printing the aoc page 1 manifest before push. Lesson learned from my mistake! Supplemental information from acn 707863: during the preflight preparation; the first officer completed the preliminary data entries. The preliminary data returned with acceptable weight and balance and performance numbers. At this time; the preliminary data was not uplinked into the FMGC. Approximately 15 mins later; the final data was entered and sent. After the return of the final solution; data was uplinked into the FMGC. However; it was the preliminary data instead of the final data. The aircraft departed the gate with the preliminary manifest instead of the final manifest. Appropriate crew coordination in review of the final numbers before departing the gate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 TOOK OFF AT SAN WITH INCORRECT WT AND BAL DATA BECAUSE OF CONFUSION REGARDING THE AUTOMATED DATA LINKS.

Narrative: WHEN WE SHOWED FOR OUR FLT AT SAN; THE OPS AGENT GAVE ME THE PRELIMINARY WT AND BAL INFO; AND WE DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT WE WERE 391 LBS FROM OUR MAX TKOF GROSS WT OF 136.3 LBS. WHEN SHE BROUGHT THE FINAL NUMBERS; I WATCHED WHILE THE FO ENTERED THE NUMBERS ON HIS FMGC SCREEN AND SENT THE DATA. SINCE THE FO WAS ON THE AOC TO PERFORMANCE DATA PAGE; I HAD MY FMGC SELECTED TO THE PERFORMANCE TKOF PAGE AS I THOUGHT THE AWP TRAINING SUPPLEMENT DATED JUL/XA/06 SUGGESTED: 'NOTE: IF EITHER CREW MEMBER MONITORS THE FMGC PERFORMANCE TKOF PAGE IN ANTICIPATION OF PERFORMANCE DATA; A 'PERFORMANCE DATA UPLINK' SCRATCH PAD MESSAGE MAY APPEAR IN ADDITION TO THE 'TKOF DATA UPLINK' SCRATCH PAD MESSAGE. PERFORMANCE DATA UPLINK SIGNIFIES ZERO FUEL WT AND ZERO FUEL WT CTR OF GRAVITY HAVE BEEN UPDATED ON THE INIT B PAGE.' THE OPS AGENT ASKED IF IT WAS GOOD AND STARTED TO LEAVE THE AIRPLANE. BOTH THE FO AND I STOPPED HER AND TOLD HER THAT THE NUMBERS WERE SENT BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY WERE GOOD YET. (THE FO WAS ON THE TKOF DATA PAGE 2 AT THAT TIME; AND THE SCREEN SHOWED 'NO TKOF DATA AVAILABLE.') I WAS TALKING TO THE OPS AGENT WHEN THE FO SAID THAT THE NUMBERS WERE COMING IN. I THEN TURNED AND LOOKED AT MY SCREEN AND SAW THAT THE TKOF PERFORMANCE DATA WAS UPLINKED; AND SO I THOUGHT THAT THE NUMBERS WERE GOOD. THE OPS AGENT THEN LEFT; AND I PROCEEDED WITH THE PUSHBACK. WHILE STOPPED IN LINE DURING TAXI; I LOOKED AT THE RWY DATA PAGE 3 TO REVIEW THE ENG OUT PROC; BUT THE SCREEN WAS BLANK; AS WERE PAGES 4 AND 5. I THEN LOOKED AT PAGE 2 AND SAW 'FLT RELEASE MAX TKOF WT EXCEEDED BY 109.' THE FO ATTEMPTED TO RESEND THE DATA FOR A NEW SOLUTION WHILE I CHKED THE WTS MANUALLY. THE ZERO FUEL WT (WHICH WAS UPLINKED; NOT MANUALLY ENTERED; SO I THOUGHT IT WAS ACCURATE) SHOWED 116.6. OUR BLOCK FUEL HAD BEEN 19.5; WHICH TOTALED OUR GROSS WT AT 136.1 AT PUSH; LESS THAN THE MAX ALLOWABLE TKOF GROSS WT OF 136.3. THE SD SCREEN GROSS WT SHOWED 136.0 AT THAT POINT; SO I COULDN'T RESOLVE WHY THE AWP INDICATED MAX TKOF WT EXCEEDED BY 109. INDICATED A MAX TKOF WT OF 147.1; SO I KNEW THAT OUR WT WAS GOOD FOR TKOF; AND IT APPEARED THAT WE WERE LESS THAN MAX ALLOWABLE TKOF GROSS WT; WHICH WAS BASED ON LNDG STRUCTURAL. WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE RESENT DATA; SO I DECIDED TO TAKE OFF BASED ON THE FACT THAT BOTH THE SD SCREEN GROSS WT AND THE UPLINKED ZERO FUEL WT PLUS BLOCK FUEL INDICATED THAT WE WERE BELOW MAX ALLOWABLE TKOF WT AND WELL BELOW MAX TKOF WT. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT APPARENTLY WE HAD NOT RECEIVED THE TKOF DATA; ONLY THE PERFORMANCE DATA. SINCE I SAW THE ZERO FUEL WT AND TKOF PERFORMANCE PAGE UPLINKED; I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE INFO WAS GOOD. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE TKOF DATA HAD BEEN DENIED. APPARENTLY THE INFO THAT I WAS LOOKING AT WAS FROM THE PRELIMINARY DATA; NOT THE FINAL; WHICH I DID NOT REALIZE. I MISSED THE FACT THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THE WT AND BAL NUMBERS BASED ON THE FINAL DATA; ONLY TKOF PERFORMANCE AND ZERO FUEL WT BASED ON THE PRELIMINARY DATA. MY EFFORTS TO EFFECT AN ON-TIME DEP COMBINED WITH MY INEXPERIENCE WITH THE NEW AWP SYS (AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE STILL DOING THE 'OLD' WAY AT MANY STATIONS AND THE 'NEW' WAY AT OTHERS) RESULTED IN MY PUSHING BACK FROM THE GATE WITHOUT ALL OF THE WT AND BAL MANIFEST INFO; AND ALSO WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE OR RECOGNITION THAT THE FINAL INFO WAS NOT THERE. SLOW DOWN THE PUSH! DON'T LET THE PRESSURE OF AN ON-TIME DEP RUSH THE PUSH. DON'T LET OTHER PEOPLE DISTRACT ONE FROM ONE'S DUTIES. MORE EXPERIENCE WITH THE NEW SYS. AS EVENTS LIKE THIS OCCUR; I LEARN MORE ABOUT IT. ALSO; NOT TRYING TO DO THE 'NEW' WAY AT 'OLD' WAY STATION WITH OLD WAY INFO; OR DOING THE 'OLD' WAY AT 'OLD WAY STATIONS AND 'NEW' WAY AT 'NEW' WAY STATIONS. THIS IS COMPOUNDING THE CONFUSION. IT WILL GET EASIER WHEN WE ARE DOING IT THE SAME WAY ALL OF THE TIME. IT'S A LEARNING PROCESS; BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT'S SELF-TAUGHT TO SOME DEGREE. SELF-TAUGHT LEAVES ROOM FOR ERRONEOUS LESSONS AND MISUNDERSTOOD WRITTEN GUIDANCE AND INSTRUCTION. I NOW UNDERSTANDTHE VALUE OF PRINTING THE AOC PAGE 1 MANIFEST BEFORE PUSH. LESSON LEARNED FROM MY MISTAKE! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 707863: DURING THE PREFLT PREPARATION; THE FO COMPLETED THE PRELIMINARY DATA ENTRIES. THE PRELIMINARY DATA RETURNED WITH ACCEPTABLE WT AND BAL AND PERFORMANCE NUMBERS. AT THIS TIME; THE PRELIMINARY DATA WAS NOT UPLINKED INTO THE FMGC. APPROX 15 MINS LATER; THE FINAL DATA WAS ENTERED AND SENT. AFTER THE RETURN OF THE FINAL SOLUTION; DATA WAS UPLINKED INTO THE FMGC. HOWEVER; IT WAS THE PRELIMINARY DATA INSTEAD OF THE FINAL DATA. THE ACFT DEPARTED THE GATE WITH THE PRELIMINARY MANIFEST INSTEAD OF THE FINAL MANIFEST. APPROPRIATE CREW COORD IN REVIEW OF THE FINAL NUMBERS BEFORE DEPARTING THE GATE.

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.