Narrative:

After blocking out; we received ACARS message from load planning stating aircraft was out of balance and to stand by for further instructions. We had 24.6 ferry fuel. After about 5 mins; they came back and said to block off rows 5 and 6. We also had a forward center of gravity. We complied and took off. Takeoff climb; cruise; and descent into sfo; all normal. We were cleared for visual to runway 28R. I took autoplt off and left autothrottles on. Vref was 131 KTS. WX beautiful/10 KT headwind. As I went to flare; I gently moved stick aft and nothing happened. Nose was falling fast. I moved it a little more; nothing happened. I then took a 'handful' and landed aircraft. I am thankful I kept the power up. Landing was good. I have never taken that abrupt pull on a gentle VFR day. It got my attention. Also; I have never had that feeling of nose falling fast. Rollout uneventful. As I got off aircraft; called a flight manager and assumed it may be a weight and balance issue. We could have gotten 'out of balance' again during the cruise down. Fuel burn 8.8. Left with 39.0. He suggested I call maintenance and get the controls checked also. I did immediately. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that the degree of nose up stick that was required was completely unexpected. Since trim inputs are unnecessary on the A319; the pilot has no advanced warning of an impending out of balance condition. No response has been received from maintenance to indicate a flight control problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 REQUIRED AN ABNORMALLY ABRUPT CONTROL STICK INPUT TO INCREASE PITCH AND ACHIEVE A LNDG ATTITUDE IN THE FLARE.

Narrative: AFTER BLOCKING OUT; WE RECEIVED ACARS MESSAGE FROM LOAD PLANNING STATING ACFT WAS OUT OF BAL AND TO STAND BY FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. WE HAD 24.6 FERRY FUEL. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINS; THEY CAME BACK AND SAID TO BLOCK OFF ROWS 5 AND 6. WE ALSO HAD A FORWARD CTR OF GRAVITY. WE COMPLIED AND TOOK OFF. TKOF CLB; CRUISE; AND DSCNT INTO SFO; ALL NORMAL. WE WERE CLRED FOR VISUAL TO RWY 28R. I TOOK AUTOPLT OFF AND LEFT AUTOTHROTTLES ON. VREF WAS 131 KTS. WX BEAUTIFUL/10 KT HEADWIND. AS I WENT TO FLARE; I GENTLY MOVED STICK AFT AND NOTHING HAPPENED. NOSE WAS FALLING FAST. I MOVED IT A LITTLE MORE; NOTHING HAPPENED. I THEN TOOK A 'HANDFUL' AND LANDED ACFT. I AM THANKFUL I KEPT THE PWR UP. LNDG WAS GOOD. I HAVE NEVER TAKEN THAT ABRUPT PULL ON A GENTLE VFR DAY. IT GOT MY ATTN. ALSO; I HAVE NEVER HAD THAT FEELING OF NOSE FALLING FAST. ROLLOUT UNEVENTFUL. AS I GOT OFF ACFT; CALLED A FLT MGR AND ASSUMED IT MAY BE A WT AND BAL ISSUE. WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN 'OUT OF BAL' AGAIN DURING THE CRUISE DOWN. FUEL BURN 8.8. LEFT WITH 39.0. HE SUGGESTED I CALL MAINT AND GET THE CTLS CHKED ALSO. I DID IMMEDIATELY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT THE DEGREE OF NOSE UP STICK THAT WAS REQUIRED WAS COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED. SINCE TRIM INPUTS ARE UNNECESSARY ON THE A319; THE PLT HAS NO ADVANCED WARNING OF AN IMPENDING OUT OF BALANCE CONDITION. NO RESPONSE HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM MAINT TO INDICATE A FLT CONTROL PROBLEM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.