Narrative:

During the preflight phase; we received weight and balance completed and signed; with 119 passenger; 21 bags and 2 comat. After running operations we found out that the center of gravity was aft out limit 37.1 with a maximum of 34.8. I told agent that all the bags were to be moved to bin 1; to get center of gravity within operation range. The total count of the bags was wrong. Operations giving out of limit center of gravity. I order the bags to be moved; FAA inspector was in the cockpit; performing a supplemental operation inspection and asked me how many bags I was going to move; after my answer he brought to our attention that he estimated the bags and there were about 100. First officer went to count the bags himself and end it with 99 bags total. Corrected numbers were loaded in operations getting center of gravity within operation range. Flight was conducted under normal operation from this point. The station representative was told the bags were going to be transported via ground trucks (verbally stated to me); not proper communication between the station representative and ramp loading people. Lack of supervision from station representative in the loading operation. 1) verify that the people involved in the different areas of the operation have the proper training for the duties to be performed. 2) we need to point out the importance to the accuracy of the information provided to the pilots and its importance for the safety of the flts. 3) for the pilot group to be aware of these types of mistakes especially in non standard operations such as charter flts where out of company people are involved in the flight. I would like to mention that it was a big help to have the FAA inspector involved in the operation and needless to say the help from my first officer in the performance of his duties.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CREW REPORTS THAT A FAA INSPECTOR NOTED A BAGGAGE AND FREIGHT COUNT DIFFERENT FROM THAT SHOWN ON THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE. THE CREW REQUESTED A BAGGAGE SHIFT AND NEW IN RANGE WEIGHT AND BALANCE.

Narrative: DURING THE PREFLT PHASE; WE RECEIVED WT AND BAL COMPLETED AND SIGNED; WITH 119 PAX; 21 BAGS AND 2 COMAT. AFTER RUNNING OPS WE FOUND OUT THAT THE CTR OF GRAVITY WAS AFT OUT LIMIT 37.1 WITH A MAX OF 34.8. I TOLD AGENT THAT ALL THE BAGS WERE TO BE MOVED TO BIN 1; TO GET CTR OF GRAVITY WITHIN OP RANGE. THE TOTAL COUNT OF THE BAGS WAS WRONG. OPS GIVING OUT OF LIMIT CTR OF GRAVITY. I ORDER THE BAGS TO BE MOVED; FAA INSPECTOR WAS IN THE COCKPIT; PERFORMING A SUPPLEMENTAL OP INSPECTION AND ASKED ME HOW MANY BAGS I WAS GOING TO MOVE; AFTER MY ANSWER HE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTN THAT HE ESTIMATED THE BAGS AND THERE WERE ABOUT 100. FO WENT TO COUNT THE BAGS HIMSELF AND END IT WITH 99 BAGS TOTAL. CORRECTED NUMBERS WERE LOADED IN OPS GETTING CTR OF GRAVITY WITHIN OP RANGE. FLT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER NORMAL OP FROM THIS POINT. THE STATION REPRESENTATIVE WAS TOLD THE BAGS WERE GOING TO BE TRANSPORTED VIA GND TRUCKS (VERBALLY STATED TO ME); NOT PROPER COM BTWN THE STATION REPRESENTATIVE AND RAMP LOADING PEOPLE. LACK OF SUPERVISION FROM STATION REPRESENTATIVE IN THE LOADING OP. 1) VERIFY THAT THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE OP HAVE THE PROPER TRAINING FOR THE DUTIES TO BE PERFORMED. 2) WE NEED TO POINT OUT THE IMPORTANCE TO THE ACCURACY OF THE INFO PROVIDED TO THE PLTS AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR THE SAFETY OF THE FLTS. 3) FOR THE PLT GROUP TO BE AWARE OF THESE TYPES OF MISTAKES ESPECIALLY IN NON STANDARD OPS SUCH AS CHARTER FLTS WHERE OUT OF COMPANY PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED IN THE FLT. I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT IT WAS A BIG HELP TO HAVE THE FAA INSPECTOR INVOLVED IN THE OP AND NEEDLESS TO SAY THE HELP FROM MY FO IN THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS DUTIES.

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.