Narrative:

Flight was conducted without incident; and our weight and balance issue was not discovered until after the flight was complete. When we received the load report for our next flight it indicated a '16x50' in the heavy bag section for the forward cargo compartment. I did not understand; so I asked the ramp agent to explain. He told me it was 16 bags; 50 pounds each; of ballast that was on the aircraft when we arrived. None of this ballast had been reported by the previous station on the load report prior to flight. I had several issues with this unrpted material in the cargo compartment. First issue; security; what is this stuff; who put it there and why was it not reported to me. Second; weight and balance; I just flew a flight with 800 ls in the cargo compartment that was not accounted for in the weight and balance calculations. Third; customs; would customs have an issue with this unrpted material in the cargo compartment. Action taken: I called customs who sent an officer to inspect the material. He looked at it; told me it looked like standard ballast; and that I could take it back with me. I decided however that I did not want the bags on my aircraft; had them removed; and turned them over to customs for further inspection. Our next flight continued without incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB170 FLT CREW ON A FLT TO ZZZZ DISCOVERED ON ARR THAT 16 50-LB BAGS OF BALLAST HAD BEEN LOADED IN IAD AND WAS NOT ON THE WT MANIFEST WHEN THEY DEPARTED.

Narrative: FLT WAS CONDUCTED WITHOUT INCIDENT; AND OUR WT AND BAL ISSUE WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL AFTER THE FLT WAS COMPLETE. WHEN WE RECEIVED THE LOAD RPT FOR OUR NEXT FLT IT INDICATED A '16X50' IN THE HVY BAG SECTION FOR THE FORWARD CARGO COMPARTMENT. I DID NOT UNDERSTAND; SO I ASKED THE RAMP AGENT TO EXPLAIN. HE TOLD ME IT WAS 16 BAGS; 50 LBS EACH; OF BALLAST THAT WAS ON THE ACFT WHEN WE ARRIVED. NONE OF THIS BALLAST HAD BEEN RPTED BY THE PREVIOUS STATION ON THE LOAD RPT PRIOR TO FLT. I HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THIS UNRPTED MATERIAL IN THE CARGO COMPARTMENT. FIRST ISSUE; SECURITY; WHAT IS THIS STUFF; WHO PUT IT THERE AND WHY WAS IT NOT RPTED TO ME. SECOND; WT AND BAL; I JUST FLEW A FLT WITH 800 LS IN THE CARGO COMPARTMENT THAT WAS NOT ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE WT AND BAL CALCULATIONS. THIRD; CUSTOMS; WOULD CUSTOMS HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THIS UNRPTED MATERIAL IN THE CARGO COMPARTMENT. ACTION TAKEN: I CALLED CUSTOMS WHO SENT AN OFFICER TO INSPECT THE MATERIAL. HE LOOKED AT IT; TOLD ME IT LOOKED LIKE STANDARD BALLAST; AND THAT I COULD TAKE IT BACK WITH ME. I DECIDED HOWEVER THAT I DID NOT WANT THE BAGS ON MY ACFT; HAD THEM REMOVED; AND TURNED THEM OVER TO CUSTOMS FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. OUR NEXT FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.