Narrative:

This aircraft was loaded as follows: row 1 -- 22; 43; 34; 4B; 19C; 14. There were 28 checked bags and 17 carry-on bags. This was entered into ACARS and an error response came back that the aircraft was 2.1 forward out of trim. I rechked this because this was odd to have this result from a normal aircraft loading. I then calculated that this aircraft would require 550 pounds of ballast to be considered 'in balance.' I just could not believe this and I called dispatch. I explained my concern and they did not completely understand my concern because they do not see these numbers on a daily basis but they wanted this to be a safe operation. We agreed to use the center of gravity calculator and do the weight and balance by hand. This resulted in a center of gravity trim of 7.8; well within limits. We landed in ZZZ without incident. We were now scheduled to take this aircraft to ZZZ1. We had similar issues with this ACARS' results and when 250 pounds of ballast was added it resulted in takeoff that included a V1 speed of -35. Now this is obviously an erroneous number; but what if? What if this ACARS had generated a V1 of 122 and a vr of 124 instead of a silly number like -35? We were at 51000 pounds and a normal V1 and V2 would have been 145 and 146. This could have generated takeoff numbers that could lead to an aircraft prematurely rotating and stalling. This along with the extra ballast that was unnecessary could have grave consequences to all on board. This tail-heavy aircraft with a slow speed in ground effect could be a tragic event. Maintenance had us reset the ACARS circuit breaker and the VHF 3 circuit breaker and the problem was resolved. I have flown this aircraft for yrs and the numbers coming out of the ACARS were not making sense.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ200 CAPT EXPLAINS ERRONEOUS CG CALCULATIONS BY ACARS WITH ASSOCIATED TRIM SETTINGS AND SPEEDS.

Narrative: THIS ACFT WAS LOADED AS FOLLOWS: ROW 1 -- 22; 43; 34; 4B; 19C; 14. THERE WERE 28 CHKED BAGS AND 17 CARRY-ON BAGS. THIS WAS ENTERED INTO ACARS AND AN ERROR RESPONSE CAME BACK THAT THE ACFT WAS 2.1 FORWARD OUT OF TRIM. I RECHKED THIS BECAUSE THIS WAS ODD TO HAVE THIS RESULT FROM A NORMAL ACFT LOADING. I THEN CALCULATED THAT THIS ACFT WOULD REQUIRE 550 LBS OF BALLAST TO BE CONSIDERED 'IN BAL.' I JUST COULD NOT BELIEVE THIS AND I CALLED DISPATCH. I EXPLAINED MY CONCERN AND THEY DID NOT COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND MY CONCERN BECAUSE THEY DO NOT SEE THESE NUMBERS ON A DAILY BASIS BUT THEY WANTED THIS TO BE A SAFE OP. WE AGREED TO USE THE CTR OF GRAVITY CALCULATOR AND DO THE WT AND BAL BY HAND. THIS RESULTED IN A CTR OF GRAVITY TRIM OF 7.8; WELL WITHIN LIMITS. WE LANDED IN ZZZ WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE WERE NOW SCHEDULED TO TAKE THIS ACFT TO ZZZ1. WE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THIS ACARS' RESULTS AND WHEN 250 LBS OF BALLAST WAS ADDED IT RESULTED IN TKOF THAT INCLUDED A V1 SPD OF -35. NOW THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN ERRONEOUS NUMBER; BUT WHAT IF? WHAT IF THIS ACARS HAD GENERATED A V1 OF 122 AND A VR OF 124 INSTEAD OF A SILLY NUMBER LIKE -35? WE WERE AT 51000 LBS AND A NORMAL V1 AND V2 WOULD HAVE BEEN 145 AND 146. THIS COULD HAVE GENERATED TKOF NUMBERS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN ACFT PREMATURELY ROTATING AND STALLING. THIS ALONG WITH THE EXTRA BALLAST THAT WAS UNNECESSARY COULD HAVE GRAVE CONSEQUENCES TO ALL ON BOARD. THIS TAIL-HVY ACFT WITH A SLOW SPD IN GND EFFECT COULD BE A TRAGIC EVENT. MAINT HAD US RESET THE ACARS CIRCUIT BREAKER AND THE VHF 3 CIRCUIT BREAKER AND THE PROB WAS RESOLVED. I HAVE FLOWN THIS ACFT FOR YRS AND THE NUMBERS COMING OUT OF THE ACARS WERE NOT MAKING SENSE.

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.