Narrative:

Approximately 15 mins before departure time; I noticed a very high fuel load of 10400 pounds on board. I consulted the release which required a fuel load of 6436 pounds. As required; the first officer had sent the fuel at 10300 pounds via the ACARS system. We both commented on the high fuel load and thought 10300 pounds as a good number; since it was minus 1 outside and we had started the APU early to heat the plane. When the close-out came; it showed 'fuel on board 6500 pounds.' we notified the agent on the jetbridge of the error with the fuel load. He called into operations via his handheld radio and asked that the fuel be updated to reflect the fuel on board of 10400 pounds (the APU had not burned enough for us to use 10300 pounds). Once the 'rev 1' closeout arrived; I noticed that the cargo in C4 had changed from 1056 pounds to 882 pounds; seeing this changed concerned me. The cargo in C4 had changed the exact amount needed to keep us within maximum landing weight limitations. Upon arrival in ZZZ; we asked for a cargo audit. We found 9 valet bags; 2 bags with heavy tags attached; and 12 connect bags. These bags were personally counted by me and the ramp worker driving the bag xfer cart. The local and connect bags had already been taken away; but the ramp agent that had unloaded the bags told me that 14 bags were on the cart. 9 valet bags at 24 pounds each = 216. 2 heavy tagged bags at 60 pounds each = 120. 12 connect bags at 30 pounds each = 360. 14 local and connect bags at 30 pounds each = 420. Total C4 cargo load = 1116 pounds. I suspect the difference from the original 1056 pounds C4 cargo load and the 1116 pounds was a failure to include 2 heavy tagged bags in the count. Using the actual C4 cargo load; we had an actual ramp weight of 46705 pounds; taxi burn of 160 pounds; and en route burn of 3792 pounds which; while sitting on the ramp at the gate; exceeded the aircraft maximum landing weight limitation by 204 pounds. The load agent 1) failed to use the updated fuel load we sent via ACARS to avoid an overweight aircraft situation. Thinking we would not catch the incorrect fuel load. 2) once the fuel was updated; the load agent again saw an overweight situation; the agent then electronically removed 174 pounds in cargo to put the aircraft within limitations. 3) it is possible that such an important task should not be entrusted to personnel with no understanding of just how important a correct weight and balance is to the people on the plane and a blatant disregard for the lives of others. 4) needlessly put the passenger; crew; and aircraft in danger for purely selfish reasons.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 CAPTAIN REPORTS POSSIBLE FALSIFICATION OF WEIGHT AND BALANCE BY LOAD PLANNER TO STAY WITHIN LIMITS ON PAPER.

Narrative: APPROX 15 MINS BEFORE DEP TIME; I NOTICED A VERY HIGH FUEL LOAD OF 10400 LBS ON BOARD. I CONSULTED THE RELEASE WHICH REQUIRED A FUEL LOAD OF 6436 LBS. AS REQUIRED; THE FO HAD SENT THE FUEL AT 10300 LBS VIA THE ACARS SYS. WE BOTH COMMENTED ON THE HIGH FUEL LOAD AND THOUGHT 10300 LBS AS A GOOD NUMBER; SINCE IT WAS MINUS 1 OUTSIDE AND WE HAD STARTED THE APU EARLY TO HEAT THE PLANE. WHEN THE CLOSE-OUT CAME; IT SHOWED 'FUEL ON BOARD 6500 LBS.' WE NOTIFIED THE AGENT ON THE JETBRIDGE OF THE ERROR WITH THE FUEL LOAD. HE CALLED INTO OPS VIA HIS HANDHELD RADIO AND ASKED THAT THE FUEL BE UPDATED TO REFLECT THE FUEL ON BOARD OF 10400 LBS (THE APU HAD NOT BURNED ENOUGH FOR US TO USE 10300 LBS). ONCE THE 'REV 1' CLOSEOUT ARRIVED; I NOTICED THAT THE CARGO IN C4 HAD CHANGED FROM 1056 LBS TO 882 LBS; SEEING THIS CHANGED CONCERNED ME. THE CARGO IN C4 HAD CHANGED THE EXACT AMOUNT NEEDED TO KEEP US WITHIN MAX LNDG WT LIMITATIONS. UPON ARR IN ZZZ; WE ASKED FOR A CARGO AUDIT. WE FOUND 9 VALET BAGS; 2 BAGS WITH HVY TAGS ATTACHED; AND 12 CONNECT BAGS. THESE BAGS WERE PERSONALLY COUNTED BY ME AND THE RAMP WORKER DRIVING THE BAG XFER CART. THE LCL AND CONNECT BAGS HAD ALREADY BEEN TAKEN AWAY; BUT THE RAMP AGENT THAT HAD UNLOADED THE BAGS TOLD ME THAT 14 BAGS WERE ON THE CART. 9 VALET BAGS AT 24 LBS EACH = 216. 2 HVY TAGGED BAGS AT 60 LBS EACH = 120. 12 CONNECT BAGS AT 30 LBS EACH = 360. 14 LCL AND CONNECT BAGS AT 30 LBS EACH = 420. TOTAL C4 CARGO LOAD = 1116 LBS. I SUSPECT THE DIFFERENCE FROM THE ORIGINAL 1056 LBS C4 CARGO LOAD AND THE 1116 LBS WAS A FAILURE TO INCLUDE 2 HVY TAGGED BAGS IN THE COUNT. USING THE ACTUAL C4 CARGO LOAD; WE HAD AN ACTUAL RAMP WT OF 46705 LBS; TAXI BURN OF 160 LBS; AND ENRTE BURN OF 3792 LBS WHICH; WHILE SITTING ON THE RAMP AT THE GATE; EXCEEDED THE ACFT MAX LNDG WT LIMITATION BY 204 LBS. THE LOAD AGENT 1) FAILED TO USE THE UPDATED FUEL LOAD WE SENT VIA ACARS TO AVOID AN OVERWT ACFT SIT. THINKING WE WOULD NOT CATCH THE INCORRECT FUEL LOAD. 2) ONCE THE FUEL WAS UPDATED; THE LOAD AGENT AGAIN SAW AN OVERWT SIT; THE AGENT THEN ELECTRONICALLY REMOVED 174 LBS IN CARGO TO PUT THE ACFT WITHIN LIMITATIONS. 3) IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT TASK SHOULD NOT BE ENTRUSTED TO PERSONNEL WITH NO UNDERSTANDING OF JUST HOW IMPORTANT A CORRECT WT AND BAL IS TO THE PEOPLE ON THE PLANE AND A BLATANT DISREGARD FOR THE LIVES OF OTHERS. 4) NEEDLESSLY PUT THE PAX; CREW; AND ACFT IN DANGER FOR PURELY SELFISH REASONS.

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.