A jetstream 4100 on taxi out from gate lost nosewheel steering due to aircraft overloaded in aft car...

Attributes
ACN	421546
Time
Date	199811
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3900 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	421546
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We taxied out for departure on our scheduled (far part 121) flight from dca to jfk. The previous flight was canceled and although the passenger were accommodated on other airlines, their baggage was left to be loaded on our remaining flts to jfk (we have 10 flts a day). Shortly after leaving the gate, I started having difficulties taxiing the aircraft. The nosewheel tiller had no effect and we almost departed the taxiway. I used differential braking and power to slowly bring the aircraft back to the gate area. Upon removal of the bags from the aft cargo area, it was determined that we had a lot more weight there than what was reported to me. The weight also exceeded the structural limits of the aircraft. I think that the rampers were under pressure to get the bags from the previous canceled flight to jfk, and so they did not count heavy bags as 2 or even 3 to compensate. Instead they used 24 pounds for all the bags, even those obviously heavier. Had we taken off and lost an engine, the outcome could be a little different.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A JETSTREAM 4100 ON TAXI OUT FROM GATE LOST NOSEWHEEL STEERING DUE TO ACFT OVERLOADED IN AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT. IMPROPER WT AND BAL CALCULATION GIVEN TO CREW.

Narrative: WE TAXIED OUT FOR DEP ON OUR SCHEDULED (FAR PART 121) FLT FROM DCA TO JFK. THE PREVIOUS FLT WAS CANCELED AND ALTHOUGH THE PAX WERE ACCOMMODATED ON OTHER AIRLINES, THEIR BAGGAGE WAS LEFT TO BE LOADED ON OUR REMAINING FLTS TO JFK (WE HAVE 10 FLTS A DAY). SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING THE GATE, I STARTED HAVING DIFFICULTIES TAXIING THE ACFT. THE NOSEWHEEL TILLER HAD NO EFFECT AND WE ALMOST DEPARTED THE TXWY. I USED DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING AND PWR TO SLOWLY BRING THE ACFT BACK TO THE GATE AREA. UPON REMOVAL OF THE BAGS FROM THE AFT CARGO AREA, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT WE HAD A LOT MORE WT THERE THAN WHAT WAS RPTED TO ME. THE WT ALSO EXCEEDED THE STRUCTURAL LIMITS OF THE ACFT. I THINK THAT THE RAMPERS WERE UNDER PRESSURE TO GET THE BAGS FROM THE PREVIOUS CANCELED FLT TO JFK, AND SO THEY DID NOT COUNT HVY BAGS AS 2 OR EVEN 3 TO COMPENSATE. INSTEAD THEY USED 24 LBS FOR ALL THE BAGS, EVEN THOSE OBVIOUSLY HEAVIER. HAD WE TAKEN OFF AND LOST AN ENG, THE OUTCOME COULD BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

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.

A jetstream 4100 on taxi out from gate lost nosewheel steering due to aircraft overloaded in aft cargo compartment. Improper weight and balance calculation given to crew.