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MD80 captain reports aircraft appears heavier than calculated at flap retraction speed of 245 knots. Alpha speed warning appears and is extinguished at 256 knots.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 764324 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200711 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | Rain |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 764324 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : aoa other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
During initial climb out at slats retract 'alpha speed' began flashing in the speed window of FMA. Clean minimum maneuver speed was set at 245 as per tps. Ptow 141.9/closed out at 140.6. I increased speed selection slowly; 1 KT at a time. 'Alpha speed' extinguished at 256 in the speed window. A minimum maneuver speed xchk with aircraft weight/speed charts revealed that 256 minimum maneuver speed was consistent with an aircraft weighing 156000 pounds. Assuming that my aircraft was at least 15000 pounds heavier than advertised I adjusted my flight profile accordingly; advised dispatch of my situation and requested an offload audit. Adding 15000 pounds of my weight on arrival put landing weight at 130000 pounds. Approach/landing/power profile was normal and consistent with a 130000 pound aircraft. Flight was completed without incident. Appropriate logbook entries made.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MD80 CAPT REPORTS ACFT APPEARS HEAVIER THAN CALCULATED AT FLAP RETRACTION SPEED OF 245 KNOTS. ALPHA SPEED WARNING APPEARS AND IS EXTINGUISHED AT 256 KNOTS.
Narrative: DURING INITIAL CLBOUT AT SLATS RETRACT 'ALPHA SPD' BEGAN FLASHING IN THE SPD WINDOW OF FMA. CLEAN MINIMUM MANEUVER SPD WAS SET AT 245 AS PER TPS. PTOW 141.9/CLOSED OUT AT 140.6. I INCREASED SPD SELECTION SLOWLY; 1 KT AT A TIME. 'ALPHA SPD' EXTINGUISHED AT 256 IN THE SPD WINDOW. A MINIMUM MANEUVER SPD XCHK WITH ACFT WT/SPD CHARTS REVEALED THAT 256 MINIMUM MANEUVER SPD WAS CONSISTENT WITH AN ACFT WEIGHING 156000 LBS. ASSUMING THAT MY ACFT WAS AT LEAST 15000 LBS HEAVIER THAN ADVERTISED I ADJUSTED MY FLT PROFILE ACCORDINGLY; ADVISED DISPATCH OF MY SITUATION AND REQUESTED AN OFFLOAD AUDIT. ADDING 15000 LBS OF MY WT ON ARR PUT LNDG WT AT 130000 LBS. APCH/LNDG/PWR PROFILE WAS NORMAL AND CONSISTENT WITH A 130000 LB ACFT. FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. APPROPRIATE LOGBOOK ENTRIES MADE.
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.