B737 captain reports receiving 4 hazmat notification forms during preflight but only 2 items on the ...

Narrative:

We received four (4) pilot notification forms for hazmat on board. When our load message came out of the ACARS printer; it reflected that we had hazmat; however the number in parentheses indicated that we had only two (2) items of hazmat on board. We conferred with load control on the radio; ramp personnel on the interphone and in person; and then finally with central load planning on the telephone. We were assured that there were four hazmat items on board; as reflected by the four forms we received. However; our load message still reflected two (2) items. Central load planning (clp)_assured us that the system would update when ramp input the final loading into the computer and that our load message would update at that time. Upon taxi out; we requested a new load message and we requested it again after getting our final weights. The load message still reflected that we should have only two (2) hazmat items on board. We phoned clp while holding short (after advising tower that we were waiting for numbers). Clp advised the captain that there were indeed four (4) hazmat items on board despite what our load message said. The captain insisted on getting clp to say that we were legal and clp insisted that we were legal and then said that the load message is only an advisory. So what good is the load message then? If only advisory; how are we to resolve ambiguities? About three weeks ago; we had a related problem; only that time we had a load message; which stated that we had more hazmat than we had pilot notification forms for. After much searching; it was determined that the pilot notification forms that were missing had accidentally been left with the packages; which were in a cargo container. Ramp removed the entire container and left it. For lack of following the proper procedures; we ended up leaving cargo at our departure airport. More importantly; if procedures don't give us good information and we were to end up with hazmat on the aircraft for which we had no notification forms; we could have unknown hazards on board which present a significant safety problem under some circumstances. We need our load message to be our check for this; so what's wrong that we can't get good information from the system?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 Captain reports receiving 4 HAZMAT notification forms during preflight but only 2 items on the load manifest. Load planning says 4 was correct and the flight; was legal to depart with incorrect manifest.

Narrative: We received four (4) pilot notification forms for HAZMAT on board. When our load message came out of the ACARS printer; it reflected that we had HAZMAT; however the number in parentheses indicated that we had only two (2) items of HAZMAT on board. We conferred with Load Control on the radio; ramp personnel on the interphone and in person; and then finally with Central Load Planning on the telephone. We were assured that there were four HAZMAT items on board; as reflected by the four forms we received. However; our load message still reflected two (2) items. Central Load Planning (CLP)_assured us that the system would update when ramp input the final loading into the computer and that our load message would update at that time. Upon taxi out; we requested a new load message and we requested it again after getting our final weights. The load message still reflected that we should have only two (2) HAZMAT items on board. We phoned CLP while holding short (after advising Tower that we were waiting for numbers). CLP advised the Captain that there were indeed four (4) HAZMAT items on board despite what our load message said. The Captain insisted on getting CLP to say that we were legal and CLP insisted that we were legal and then said that the load message is only an advisory. So what good is the load message then? If only advisory; how are we to resolve ambiguities? About three weeks ago; we had a related problem; only that time we had a load message; which stated that we had MORE HAZMAT than we had pilot notification forms for. After much searching; it was determined that the pilot notification forms that were missing had accidentally been left with the packages; which were in a cargo container. Ramp removed the entire container and left it. For lack of following the proper procedures; we ended up leaving cargo at our departure airport. More importantly; if procedures don't give us good information and we were to end up with HAZMAT on the aircraft for which we had no notification forms; we could have unknown hazards on board which present a significant safety problem under some circumstances. We need our load message to be our check for this; so what's wrong that we can't get good information from the system?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	842483
Time
Date	200907
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Parked Taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Not Flying
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150 Flight Crew Total 10000 Flight Crew Type 4100
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Hazardous Material Violation Deviation - Procedural Weight And Balance

B737 captain reports receiving 4 hazmat notification forms during preflight but only 2 items on the load manifest. Load planning says 4 was correct and the flight; was legal to depart with incorrect manifest.