MD80 crew learns on climb out that the bag count is off; and the weight and balance is in error.

Attributes
ACN	708101
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 184 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	708101
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	708102
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

After departing ZZZ on a normal takeoff with the first officer as PF; we received an ACARS message from dispatch at XA45; 'dispatch; you have 26 more bags than you thought...ramp said 40 bags instead of 14...all in pit 4 -- 780 additional pounds...still within center of gravity limits...operations will do manual to get new center of gravity number...we will let you know/dispatch ACARS end.' I asked the first officer if he felt anything unusual during the liftoff and climb out to which he replied in the negative. XA54:40 we received the following: 'XA54:27 viewed weight and balance from: dispatch zero fuel weight 113.9; center of gravity 9.2; takeoff weight 131.1 dispatch.' this resulted in a nose trim setting change from our original trim units of 6.2 to a new trim unit of 7.4. No unusual trim was felt during the takeoff; but if these had been in pit 1 it might have resulted in a noticeable difference. This does not bode well for my comfort level in the communications between ramp and operations but it is certainly understandable to misinterp 14 for 40. Suggest that all bag loading numbers read over the radio be repeated in single digits; 'ie; 'forty bags; four-zero bags in pit one' as confirmation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW LEARNS ON CLBOUT THAT THE BAG COUNT IS OFF; AND THE WT AND BAL IS IN ERROR.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING ZZZ ON A NORMAL TKOF WITH THE FO AS PF; WE RECEIVED AN ACARS MESSAGE FROM DISPATCH AT XA45; 'DISPATCH; YOU HAVE 26 MORE BAGS THAN YOU THOUGHT...RAMP SAID 40 BAGS INSTEAD OF 14...ALL IN PIT 4 -- 780 ADDITIONAL LBS...STILL WITHIN CTR OF GRAVITY LIMITS...OPS WILL DO MANUAL TO GET NEW CTR OF GRAVITY NUMBER...WE WILL LET YOU KNOW/DISPATCH ACARS END.' I ASKED THE FO IF HE FELT ANYTHING UNUSUAL DURING THE LIFTOFF AND CLBOUT TO WHICH HE REPLIED IN THE NEGATIVE. XA54:40 WE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING: 'XA54:27 VIEWED WT AND BAL FROM: DISPATCH ZERO FUEL WT 113.9; CTR OF GRAVITY 9.2; TKOF WT 131.1 DISPATCH.' THIS RESULTED IN A NOSE TRIM SETTING CHANGE FROM OUR ORIGINAL TRIM UNITS OF 6.2 TO A NEW TRIM UNIT OF 7.4. NO UNUSUAL TRIM WAS FELT DURING THE TKOF; BUT IF THESE HAD BEEN IN PIT 1 IT MIGHT HAVE RESULTED IN A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE. THIS DOES NOT BODE WELL FOR MY COMFORT LEVEL IN THE COMS BTWN RAMP AND OPS BUT IT IS CERTAINLY UNDERSTANDABLE TO MISINTERP 14 FOR 40. SUGGEST THAT ALL BAG LOADING NUMBERS READ OVER THE RADIO BE REPEATED IN SINGLE DIGITS; 'IE; 'FORTY BAGS; FOUR-ZERO BAGS IN PIT ONE' AS CONFIRMATION.

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.