A B767-300 crew used the 'planned weight manifest' printout on ACARS for departure at mia.

Attributes
ACN	497050
Time
Date	200101
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	497050
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

On taxi out, I prompted ACARS for the final weights. The weights went directly to the ACARS printer. The passenger count was exactly the same as the one given to me by the flight attendant. I entered the zero fuel weight in the CDU, which was 2000 pounds lighter than our original weights. We were already well below our takeoff gross weight limit. We took off and shortly thereafter received an ACARS from station operations saying we had not, in fact, received our final weights. The final weights were sent to us a few mins later. We were actually 2900 pounds lighter. We were well within all center of gravity and weight limits. It worked to our advantage this time, but this situation could potentially cause an overweight takeoff. This situation can be avoided by not allowing any weights to be obtained via ACARS during taxi until the weights are finalized by load planning.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300 CREW USED THE 'PLANNED WT MANIFEST' PRINTOUT ON ACARS FOR DEP AT MIA.

Narrative: ON TAXI OUT, I PROMPTED ACARS FOR THE FINAL WTS. THE WTS WENT DIRECTLY TO THE ACARS PRINTER. THE PAX COUNT WAS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE ONE GIVEN TO ME BY THE FLT ATTENDANT. I ENTERED THE ZERO FUEL WT IN THE CDU, WHICH WAS 2000 LBS LIGHTER THAN OUR ORIGINAL WTS. WE WERE ALREADY WELL BELOW OUR TKOF GROSS WT LIMIT. WE TOOK OFF AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER RECEIVED AN ACARS FROM STATION OPS SAYING WE HAD NOT, IN FACT, RECEIVED OUR FINAL WTS. THE FINAL WTS WERE SENT TO US A FEW MINS LATER. WE WERE ACTUALLY 2900 LBS LIGHTER. WE WERE WELL WITHIN ALL CTR OF GRAVITY AND WT LIMITS. IT WORKED TO OUR ADVANTAGE THIS TIME, BUT THIS SIT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE AN OVERWT TKOF. THIS SIT CAN BE AVOIDED BY NOT ALLOWING ANY WTS TO BE OBTAINED VIA ACARS DURING TAXI UNTIL THE WTS ARE FINALIZED BY LOAD PLANNING.

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.