Weight and balance mistake before takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	295991
Time
Date	199502
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
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	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 6150 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	295991
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were receiving a line check from the FAA. I had prepared the weight and balance and then noticed I had not entered the 170 pounds for the jumpseat observer. The company had moved the performance and bugs check from the taxi checklist to the after-start checks 2 weeks prior. Feeling rushed, I crossed out the erroneous weights to add the 170 pounds. In doing so, calculation errors were made, which were noticed by the FAA observer on the taxi out to the runway. He examined the weight and balance sheet for about 2 mins and only after I questioned him did he divulge that my final weight calculations were wrong. While in the process of recalculating the weights, we were cleared for takeoff. The captain asked if the takeoff weight and speeds were now correct. The weight was now correct with no change in the originally computed speeds. But I had yet to finish the landing weight and declined the takeoff clearance until I was sure that all weights were correct. Being rushed is no excuse, especially when the FAA is on board. I should have used a clean weight and balance sheet instead of adding the 170 pounds over the other weights.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WT AND BAL MISTAKE BEFORE TKOF.

Narrative: WE WERE RECEIVING A LINE CHK FROM THE FAA. I HAD PREPARED THE WT AND BAL AND THEN NOTICED I HAD NOT ENTERED THE 170 LBS FOR THE JUMPSEAT OBSERVER. THE COMPANY HAD MOVED THE PERFORMANCE AND BUGS CHK FROM THE TAXI CHKLIST TO THE AFTER-START CHKS 2 WKS PRIOR. FEELING RUSHED, I CROSSED OUT THE ERRONEOUS WTS TO ADD THE 170 LBS. IN DOING SO, CALCULATION ERRORS WERE MADE, WHICH WERE NOTICED BY THE FAA OBSERVER ON THE TAXI OUT TO THE RWY. HE EXAMINED THE WT AND BAL SHEET FOR ABOUT 2 MINS AND ONLY AFTER I QUESTIONED HIM DID HE DIVULGE THAT MY FINAL WT CALCULATIONS WERE WRONG. WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF RECALCULATING THE WTS, WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. THE CAPT ASKED IF THE TKOF WT AND SPDS WERE NOW CORRECT. THE WT WAS NOW CORRECT WITH NO CHANGE IN THE ORIGINALLY COMPUTED SPDS. BUT I HAD YET TO FINISH THE LNDG WT AND DECLINED THE TKOF CLRNC UNTIL I WAS SURE THAT ALL WTS WERE CORRECT. BEING RUSHED IS NO EXCUSE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE FAA IS ON BOARD. I SHOULD HAVE USED A CLEAN WT AND BAL SHEET INSTEAD OF ADDING THE 170 LBS OVER THE OTHER WTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.