Narrative:

Due to en route turbulence from lax to bos, the flight release was for cruise at FL250 with 8000 pounds extra fuel for holding and some for alternate. The release called for 136000# of fuel, this due to an erroneous additional waypoint in the computerized release (not caught by anyone until over den). Although I found the fuel load excessive, I also felt it was possible due to the low altitude and additional holding fuel. By the way, the total distance on the release indicated 4000+ mi to bos from lax. The flight plan, as well as the in-flight update, showed this point (additional). However, the FMC showed the normal route (time, distance and burn). The disparity was not discovered until over den, at which time (after reference to the MEL, operations manual, airport analysis and contact with dispatch) it was decided we would land overweight at bos. The landing weight was 318000 pounds. Maximum allowable 290000#. Runway weights (airport analysis) were legal, and the T/D was smooth (150 FPM on VV1). Aircraft written up for overweight landing. Supplemental information from acn 104428: it appeared that while the proposed fuel burn shown on the flight was excessive, the actual burn could very well be adequate to reach normal landing weight. However, nothing seemed to work out as planned. Cruise tail winds were very strong, bos became VFR, and while en route a computer flight time error was discovered that reduced the en route time by 1 hour and 20 mins.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPUTER GENERATED FLT PLAN CALLED FOR TOO MUCH FUEL. ERROR NOT CAUGHT BY FLT CREW. LANDED 23000# OVERWEIGHT.

Narrative: DUE TO ENRTE TURB FROM LAX TO BOS, THE FLT RELEASE WAS FOR CRUISE AT FL250 WITH 8000 LBS EXTRA FUEL FOR HOLDING AND SOME FOR ALTERNATE. THE RELEASE CALLED FOR 136000# OF FUEL, THIS DUE TO AN ERRONEOUS ADDITIONAL WAYPOINT IN THE COMPUTERIZED RELEASE (NOT CAUGHT BY ANYONE UNTIL OVER DEN). ALTHOUGH I FOUND THE FUEL LOAD EXCESSIVE, I ALSO FELT IT WAS POSSIBLE DUE TO THE LOW ALT AND ADDITIONAL HOLDING FUEL. BY THE WAY, THE TOTAL DISTANCE ON THE RELEASE INDICATED 4000+ MI TO BOS FROM LAX. THE FLT PLAN, AS WELL AS THE INFLT UPDATE, SHOWED THIS POINT (ADDITIONAL). HOWEVER, THE FMC SHOWED THE NORMAL ROUTE (TIME, DISTANCE AND BURN). THE DISPARITY WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL OVER DEN, AT WHICH TIME (AFTER REF TO THE MEL, OPS MANUAL, ARPT ANALYSIS AND CONTACT WITH DISPATCH) IT WAS DECIDED WE WOULD LAND OVERWEIGHT AT BOS. THE LNDG WT WAS 318000 LBS. MAX ALLOWABLE 290000#. RWY WTS (ARPT ANALYSIS) WERE LEGAL, AND THE T/D WAS SMOOTH (150 FPM ON VV1). ACFT WRITTEN UP FOR OVERWT LNDG. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 104428: IT APPEARED THAT WHILE THE PROPOSED FUEL BURN SHOWN ON THE FLT WAS EXCESSIVE, THE ACTUAL BURN COULD VERY WELL BE ADEQUATE TO REACH NORMAL LNDG WT. HOWEVER, NOTHING SEEMED TO WORK OUT AS PLANNED. CRUISE TAIL WINDS WERE VERY STRONG, BOS BECAME VFR, AND WHILE ENRTE A COMPUTER FLT TIME ERROR WAS DISCOVERED THAT REDUCED THE ENRTE TIME BY 1 HR AND 20 MINS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.