Air carrier medium large transport took off over aircraft maximum allowable takeoff weight.

Attributes
ACN	131368
Time
Date	198912
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 235 flight time total : 23400 flight time type : 2350
ASRS Report	131368
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our fleet has approximately 55 medium large transport with different takeoff weights (gross). Most are gross weight takeoff of 149500#. A lessor # are at 147000# (11 aircraft), and only 5 aircraft are at 142000# gross weight takeoff. On this particular flight, a long flight of over 3 hours and with high fuel requirements, plus normal high passenger loads, we usually use the aircraft with the higher gross weights limits. On this particular day an aircraft with a gross weight takeoff of 142000# was used. All parameters would have been met (in regards of gross takeoff weight) with the exception of the fact that the WX at the destination was such that it required an alternate, placing the takeoff weight 2400 pounds over the maximum allowable (structure limit). 1) dispatch missed (or erred) in planning, 2) the load planner overlooked the correct #'south or used the wrong charts, and 3) the crew did not catch the error until after takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TOOK OFF OVER ACFT MAX ALLOWABLE TKOF WEIGHT.

Narrative: OUR FLEET HAS APPROX 55 MLG WITH DIFFERENT TKOF WTS (GROSS). MOST ARE GROSS WT TKOF OF 149500#. A LESSOR # ARE AT 147000# (11 ACFT), AND ONLY 5 ACFT ARE AT 142000# GROSS WT TKOF. ON THIS PARTICULAR FLT, A LONG FLT OF OVER 3 HRS AND WITH HIGH FUEL REQUIREMENTS, PLUS NORMAL HIGH PAX LOADS, WE USUALLY USE THE ACFT WITH THE HIGHER GROSS WTS LIMITS. ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY AN ACFT WITH A GROSS WT TKOF OF 142000# WAS USED. ALL PARAMETERS WOULD HAVE BEEN MET (IN REGARDS OF GROSS TKOF WT) WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FACT THAT THE WX AT THE DEST WAS SUCH THAT IT REQUIRED AN ALTERNATE, PLACING THE TKOF WT 2400 LBS OVER THE MAX ALLOWABLE (STRUCTURE LIMIT). 1) DISPATCH MISSED (OR ERRED) IN PLANNING, 2) THE LOAD PLANNER OVERLOOKED THE CORRECT #'S OR USED THE WRONG CHARTS, AND 3) THE CREW DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR UNTIL AFTER TKOF.

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.