B737-300 crew had incorrect aircraft weight and balance because of incorrect passenger count.

Attributes
ACN	507930
Time
Date	200104
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 125
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	507930
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

I was informed by the 'a' flight attendant at cruise that the passenger count was wrong. Both the napkin and the load manifest showed 71 passenger. She informed me that there was actually 105 passenger in board. A difference of 34 passenger. My first officer and I adjusted our zero fuel weight accordingly and landed uneventfully. The reason for the error was the operations agent did not include the through-passenger in her count. Obviously, the flight attendants did not actually count, the flight attendants asked the operations agent what she had and wrote it on the napkin. This could have been avoided by an actual count, just like they are supposed to do. This happens every day, almost on every flight. They think that their numbers are supposed to match, without knowing the importance for that match.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CREW HAD INCORRECT ACFT WT AND BAL BECAUSE OF INCORRECT PAX COUNT.

Narrative: I WAS INFORMED BY THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT AT CRUISE THAT THE PAX COUNT WAS WRONG. BOTH THE NAPKIN AND THE LOAD MANIFEST SHOWED 71 PAX. SHE INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY 105 PAX IN BOARD. A DIFFERENCE OF 34 PAX. MY FO AND I ADJUSTED OUR ZERO FUEL WT ACCORDINGLY AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE REASON FOR THE ERROR WAS THE OPS AGENT DID NOT INCLUDE THE THROUGH-PAX IN HER COUNT. OBVIOUSLY, THE FLT ATTENDANTS DID NOT ACTUALLY COUNT, THE FLT ATTENDANTS ASKED THE OPS AGENT WHAT SHE HAD AND WROTE IT ON THE NAPKIN. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY AN ACTUAL COUNT, JUST LIKE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO. THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY, ALMOST ON EVERY FLT. THEY THINK THAT THEIR NUMBERS ARE SUPPOSED TO MATCH, WITHOUT KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE FOR THAT MATCH.

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.