Narrative:

I am a captain. On oct/xx/97, I was informed by our chief pilot of a problem which occurred concerning the paperwork for flight from lga to yul. The first problem was that we had entered an incorrect number of passenger on the dispatch release (37 vice the correct number 49). We had entered the correct weight of the aircraft for takeoff and index, as well as other information. The second problem was that on the loading worksheet, when the center of gravity falls into a shaded area when plotted, another point must be plotted which was not done. Plotting of the additional point would not have resulted in a required change in weight distribution prior to flight but the paperwork was in error even though the flight was conducted in accordance with all requirements (other than paperwork) and was conducted safely. At no time was the crew confused as to the number of passenger on board, weight, center of gravity index, etc. I believe that the erroneous paperwork was submitted for the following reasons: 1) originally we were informed we would have 37 passenger on board and I entered that on the dispatch release which I normally fill out as captain. Once entered we would have been informed that more passenger were coming after a connecting flight arrived and although I later entered the correct weight and index on the release I did not change the number of passenger. 2) I do not know why the additional point was not plotted. I, and my first officer are both aware of the requirement and it is accomplished routinely when required. My only guess is that with the late arriving passenger I rushed the paperwork or was thinking of several things while completing and checking it or both. I must be more cautious with the required paperwork and be especially alert to times when there have been late changes. Supplemental information from acn 384371: everything was correct as far as weight and balance and index except the total passenger count which the captain forgot to change from 37 to 49 passenger. I plotted the adjusted takeoff gross weight and index on the weight and balance chart, then I plotted the actual zero fuel weight and index. The takeoff gross weight fell in the gray shaded area but the actual zero fuel weight was forward of the shaded area. Whenever the takeoff gross weight falls in the shaded area I am supposed to plot the zero fuel weight plus 4000 pounds, which I did add but didn't plot it. The chief pilot advised my captain and I that the FAA found out about the mistake and they are investigating.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIC AND FO ON A CL65 RJ DO NOT COMPLETE ALL THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK FOR WT AND BAL INFO PRIOR TO TKOF. THE CAPT FAILED TO HAVE THE TOTAL PAX COUNT ON THE DISPATCH RELEASE. THE FO FAILED TO PLOT THE INDEX OF THE ZERO FUEL WT PLUS 4000 LBS AS REQUIRED BY PROC. FAA IS INVESTIGATING THIS OVERSIGHT.

Narrative: I AM A CAPT. ON OCT/XX/97, I WAS INFORMED BY OUR CHIEF PLT OF A PROB WHICH OCCURRED CONCERNING THE PAPERWORK FOR FLT FROM LGA TO YUL. THE FIRST PROB WAS THAT WE HAD ENTERED AN INCORRECT NUMBER OF PAX ON THE DISPATCH RELEASE (37 VICE THE CORRECT NUMBER 49). WE HAD ENTERED THE CORRECT WT OF THE ACFT FOR TKOF AND INDEX, AS WELL AS OTHER INFO. THE SECOND PROB WAS THAT ON THE LOADING WORKSHEET, WHEN THE CTR OF GRAVITY FALLS INTO A SHADED AREA WHEN PLOTTED, ANOTHER POINT MUST BE PLOTTED WHICH WAS NOT DONE. PLOTTING OF THE ADDITIONAL POINT WOULD NOT HAVE RESULTED IN A REQUIRED CHANGE IN WT DISTRIBUTION PRIOR TO FLT BUT THE PAPERWORK WAS IN ERROR EVEN THOUGH THE FLT WAS CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL REQUIREMENTS (OTHER THAN PAPERWORK) AND WAS CONDUCTED SAFELY. AT NO TIME WAS THE CREW CONFUSED AS TO THE NUMBER OF PAX ON BOARD, WT, CTR OF GRAVITY INDEX, ETC. I BELIEVE THAT THE ERRONEOUS PAPERWORK WAS SUBMITTED FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: 1) ORIGINALLY WE WERE INFORMED WE WOULD HAVE 37 PAX ON BOARD AND I ENTERED THAT ON THE DISPATCH RELEASE WHICH I NORMALLY FILL OUT AS CAPT. ONCE ENTERED WE WOULD HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT MORE PAX WERE COMING AFTER A CONNECTING FLT ARRIVED AND ALTHOUGH I LATER ENTERED THE CORRECT WT AND INDEX ON THE RELEASE I DID NOT CHANGE THE NUMBER OF PAX. 2) I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE ADDITIONAL POINT WAS NOT PLOTTED. I, AND MY FO ARE BOTH AWARE OF THE REQUIREMENT AND IT IS ACCOMPLISHED ROUTINELY WHEN REQUIRED. MY ONLY GUESS IS THAT WITH THE LATE ARRIVING PAX I RUSHED THE PAPERWORK OR WAS THINKING OF SEVERAL THINGS WHILE COMPLETING AND CHKING IT OR BOTH. I MUST BE MORE CAUTIOUS WITH THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK AND BE ESPECIALLY ALERT TO TIMES WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN LATE CHANGES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 384371: EVERYTHING WAS CORRECT AS FAR AS WT AND BAL AND INDEX EXCEPT THE TOTAL PAX COUNT WHICH THE CAPT FORGOT TO CHANGE FROM 37 TO 49 PAX. I PLOTTED THE ADJUSTED TKOF GROSS WT AND INDEX ON THE WT AND BAL CHART, THEN I PLOTTED THE ACTUAL ZERO FUEL WT AND INDEX. THE TKOF GROSS WT FELL IN THE GRAY SHADED AREA BUT THE ACTUAL ZERO FUEL WT WAS FORWARD OF THE SHADED AREA. WHENEVER THE TKOF GROSS WT FALLS IN THE SHADED AREA I AM SUPPOSED TO PLOT THE ZERO FUEL WT PLUS 4000 LBS, WHICH I DID ADD BUT DIDN'T PLOT IT. THE CHIEF PLT ADVISED MY CAPT AND I THAT THE FAA FOUND OUT ABOUT THE MISTAKE AND THEY ARE INVESTIGATING.

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.