Narrative:

Flight was assigned a small departure delay (wheels up time XA39); our plan was to push on time. Passenger doors closed on time but we waited until XA52 for cargo loading to be completed. By that time ATC gave us another 1 hour 15 min delay. Fortunately; our ATC coordination got us airborne at XB26. The second part to this is when we arrived at destination. I went to the bulk cargo area to retrieve a stroller. One of the cargo loaders questioned me about how the airplane handled. He told me that 2 containers in the forward cargo hold were not locked in. The first officer flew the airplane; so I asked her about it. She said the trim seemed off at rotation; not enough to mention; and we both noticed clunking sounds and a little shudder during gear extension. I could not put my finger on it; but the loose containers clears things up. As I write this report; I wish I would have called maintenance to inspect the cargo pit for damage. I called the duty manager later to express my concerns and gave him the aircraft number.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777-200 CAPTAIN REPORTS UNRESTRAINED FORWARD CARGO CONTAINERS MAY HAVE AFFECTED PITCH TRIM DURING FLT.

Narrative: FLT WAS ASSIGNED A SMALL DEP DELAY (WHEELS UP TIME XA39); OUR PLAN WAS TO PUSH ON TIME. PAX DOORS CLOSED ON TIME BUT WE WAITED UNTIL XA52 FOR CARGO LOADING TO BE COMPLETED. BY THAT TIME ATC GAVE US ANOTHER 1 HR 15 MIN DELAY. FORTUNATELY; OUR ATC COORD GOT US AIRBORNE AT XB26. THE SECOND PART TO THIS IS WHEN WE ARRIVED AT DEST. I WENT TO THE BULK CARGO AREA TO RETRIEVE A STROLLER. ONE OF THE CARGO LOADERS QUESTIONED ME ABOUT HOW THE AIRPLANE HANDLED. HE TOLD ME THAT 2 CONTAINERS IN THE FORWARD CARGO HOLD WERE NOT LOCKED IN. THE FO FLEW THE AIRPLANE; SO I ASKED HER ABOUT IT. SHE SAID THE TRIM SEEMED OFF AT ROTATION; NOT ENOUGH TO MENTION; AND WE BOTH NOTICED CLUNKING SOUNDS AND A LITTLE SHUDDER DURING GEAR EXTENSION. I COULD NOT PUT MY FINGER ON IT; BUT THE LOOSE CONTAINERS CLRS THINGS UP. AS I WRITE THIS RPT; I WISH I WOULD HAVE CALLED MAINT TO INSPECT THE CARGO PIT FOR DAMAGE. I CALLED THE DUTY MGR LATER TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS AND GAVE HIM THE ACFT NUMBER.

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.