Narrative:

Flight was a non-scheduled operation to take a retired B737 from storage location (vcv) and deliver it to a buyer at sat. A correct maintenance facility document and dispatch authority/authorized was received. I received a weight manifest and EPR/ATOG (performance message). The passenger compartment was stripped of all passenger's seats with the exception of 1 row by aft bulkhead, r-hand side. I assumed seats were left in place for weight and balance reasons. Several properly recorded engineering callouts had authority/authorized the removal of the seats. The maintenance ferry document indicated the aircraft was in an airworthy condition and legal/safe to ferry. The weight manifest, however, did not reflect the removed seats. I had reviewed the weight manifest and thought it was correct. Actual takeoff weight was less than planned/manifest. Takeoff trim setting may have been incorrect for actual center of gravity, but rotation forces and trim speed, once airborne, were normal. Flight and landing were uneventful. Bottom line -- airline provided me with an incorrect weight manifest/center of gravity document, due to not accounting for removed seats. No adverse effects were noted during the flight. Aircraft was cleared to fly (maintenance ferry document) and proper dispatch authority/authorized was received.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 FERRY FLT IS IMPROPERLY DISPATCHED WHEN THE WT AND BAL FAILS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE REMOVED PAX SEAT AS FLC ACCEPTS THE FAULTY ACFT DOCUMENTATION AT VCV, CA.

Narrative: FLT WAS A NON-SCHEDULED OP TO TAKE A RETIRED B737 FROM STORAGE LOCATION (VCV) AND DELIVER IT TO A BUYER AT SAT. A CORRECT MAINT FACILITY DOCUMENT AND DISPATCH AUTH WAS RECEIVED. I RECEIVED A WT MANIFEST AND EPR/ATOG (PERFORMANCE MESSAGE). THE PAX COMPARTMENT WAS STRIPPED OF ALL PAX'S SEATS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 1 ROW BY AFT BULKHEAD, R-HAND SIDE. I ASSUMED SEATS WERE LEFT IN PLACE FOR WT AND BAL REASONS. SEVERAL PROPERLY RECORDED ENGINEERING CALLOUTS HAD AUTH THE REMOVAL OF THE SEATS. THE MAINT FERRY DOCUMENT INDICATED THE ACFT WAS IN AN AIRWORTHY CONDITION AND LEGAL/SAFE TO FERRY. THE WT MANIFEST, HOWEVER, DID NOT REFLECT THE REMOVED SEATS. I HAD REVIEWED THE WT MANIFEST AND THOUGHT IT WAS CORRECT. ACTUAL TKOF WT WAS LESS THAN PLANNED/MANIFEST. TKOF TRIM SETTING MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECT FOR ACTUAL CTR OF GRAVITY, BUT ROTATION FORCES AND TRIM SPD, ONCE AIRBORNE, WERE NORMAL. FLT AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. BOTTOM LINE -- AIRLINE PROVIDED ME WITH AN INCORRECT WT MANIFEST/CTR OF GRAVITY DOCUMENT, DUE TO NOT ACCOUNTING FOR REMOVED SEATS. NO ADVERSE EFFECTS WERE NOTED DURING THE FLT. ACFT WAS CLRED TO FLY (MAINT FERRY DOCUMENT) AND PROPER DISPATCH AUTH WAS RECEIVED.

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.