Narrative:

The MMMX station personnel were uncharacteristically disorganized and rushed during boarding. Even so we were slightly late departing the gate due to late passenger boarding. Out at XA54Z. Taxiing at XA55Z received closeout. Maximum weight for takeoff on departure plan was 133.8 climb limit based on 25 degrees C. Closeout came in at 133.9 based on 109 passenger and ZFW 112751 pounds. Current weight was 134.4 and current temperature per ATIS was 24 degrees C so I requested new tps. Received new tps at XB01Z. New mtow 134.1 and took off at XB10Z weighing about 133.9. Climbing out of MMMX at a little after XB29Z received rvsn 01 of load closeout. New ZFW 113321 based on 112 passenger. By my calculation this put us at 134.5 during our takeoff. To make sure of our actual takeoff weight I asked the flight attendants for actual passenger count. I had them count twice and confirmed actual passenger count at 113. This easily put us overweight by several hundred pounds for takeoff at one of our more challenging stations. My question is; do I need to start having the flight attendants do a head count prior to each takeoff? The obvious potential; if we had lost an engine in this situation; was something frightening to both the first officer and myself. I am concerned that we were given bad data at least in part because ground personnel are put under much pressure to get flts closed out as quickly as possible. But I believe they need to know how important these final numbers can be and supported when they take a little extra time to make sure they are correct especially at these high altitude or short runway stations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD-80 DEPARTING MMMX TOOK OFF OVERWT BECAUSE CORRECT WTS WERE NOT ISSUED UNTIL THEY WERE AIRBORNE.

Narrative: THE MMMX STATION PERSONNEL WERE UNCHARACTERISTICALLY DISORGANIZED AND RUSHED DURING BOARDING. EVEN SO WE WERE SLIGHTLY LATE DEPARTING THE GATE DUE TO LATE PAX BOARDING. OUT AT XA54Z. TAXIING AT XA55Z RECEIVED CLOSEOUT. MAX WT FOR TKOF ON DEP PLAN WAS 133.8 CLB LIMIT BASED ON 25 DEGS C. CLOSEOUT CAME IN AT 133.9 BASED ON 109 PAX AND ZFW 112751 LBS. CURRENT WT WAS 134.4 AND CURRENT TEMP PER ATIS WAS 24 DEGS C SO I REQUESTED NEW TPS. RECEIVED NEW TPS AT XB01Z. NEW MTOW 134.1 AND TOOK OFF AT XB10Z WEIGHING ABOUT 133.9. CLBING OUT OF MMMX AT A LITTLE AFTER XB29Z RECEIVED RVSN 01 OF LOAD CLOSEOUT. NEW ZFW 113321 BASED ON 112 PAX. BY MY CALCULATION THIS PUT US AT 134.5 DURING OUR TKOF. TO MAKE SURE OF OUR ACTUAL TKOF WT I ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANTS FOR ACTUAL PAX COUNT. I HAD THEM COUNT TWICE AND CONFIRMED ACTUAL PAX COUNT AT 113. THIS EASILY PUT US OVERWT BY SEVERAL HUNDRED LBS FOR TKOF AT ONE OF OUR MORE CHALLENGING STATIONS. MY QUESTION IS; DO I NEED TO START HAVING THE FLT ATTENDANTS DO A HEAD COUNT PRIOR TO EACH TKOF? THE OBVIOUS POTENTIAL; IF WE HAD LOST AN ENG IN THIS SITUATION; WAS SOMETHING FRIGHTENING TO BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF. I AM CONCERNED THAT WE WERE GIVEN BAD DATA AT LEAST IN PART BECAUSE GND PERSONNEL ARE PUT UNDER MUCH PRESSURE TO GET FLTS CLOSED OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. BUT I BELIEVE THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THESE FINAL NUMBERS CAN BE AND SUPPORTED WHEN THEY TAKE A LITTLE EXTRA TIME TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE CORRECT ESPECIALLY AT THESE HIGH ALT OR SHORT RWY STATIONS.

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.