Narrative:

Delay at departure for last minute cargo loading; later resulted in load planning notifying flight of a possible overweight condition. This notification came during final stages of taxi to departure runway. We communicated with load planning via ACARS as to final weights but did not receive any zero fuel weight until subsequently contacting dispatch. Holding at runway 32R pad; weight was estimated at 200 pounds over maximum taxi; and 2000 pounds over maximum takeoff. Still no definite communication as to cause or actual error; we continued to hold at pad. In conversation with dispatch we decided best course was to amend release fuel and burn weight prior to takeoff. In discussion we concluded that zero fuel and takeoff could be legally and safely executed after a short delay; but load planning seemed to disagree. During this time load planning never had any definite numbers available to flight deck to make an informed decision. All interaction occurred through voice communication with dispatch. We subsequently taxied back to gate to have off loaded at 4000 pound pallet. After refueling for flight we departed 2.5 hours late. Flight was planned/operated at a legal taxi and takeoff weight. Crew made every effort to assure a safe and legal flight throughout. Frustration in the timely and informative communication from load planning was not only embarrassing but unacceptable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF B777 IS FRUSTRATED BY INABILITY OF LOAD PLANNING TO PROVIDE TIMELY AND ACCURATE TKOF DATA. UNABLE TO OBTAIN SATISFACTORY DATA; MUST RETURN TO GATE TO UNLOAD CARGO.

Narrative: DELAY AT DEP FOR LAST MINUTE CARGO LOADING; LATER RESULTED IN LOAD PLANNING NOTIFYING FLT OF A POSSIBLE OVERWEIGHT CONDITION. THIS NOTIFICATION CAME DURING FINAL STAGES OF TAXI TO DEP RWY. WE COMMUNICATED WITH LOAD PLANNING VIA ACARS AS TO FINAL WTS BUT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY ZERO FUEL WT UNTIL SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTING DISPATCH. HOLDING AT RWY 32R PAD; WT WAS ESTIMATED AT 200 LBS OVER MAX TAXI; AND 2000 LBS OVER MAX TKOF. STILL NO DEFINITE COM AS TO CAUSE OR ACTUAL ERROR; WE CONTINUED TO HOLD AT PAD. IN CONVERSATION WITH DISPATCH WE DECIDED BEST COURSE WAS TO AMEND RELEASE FUEL AND BURN WT PRIOR TO TKOF. IN DISCUSSION WE CONCLUDED THAT ZERO FUEL AND TKOF COULD BE LEGALLY AND SAFELY EXECUTED AFTER A SHORT DELAY; BUT LOAD PLANNING SEEMED TO DISAGREE. DURING THIS TIME LOAD PLANNING NEVER HAD ANY DEFINITE NUMBERS AVAILABLE TO FLT DECK TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. ALL INTERACTION OCCURRED THROUGH VOICE COM WITH DISPATCH. WE SUBSEQUENTLY TAXIED BACK TO GATE TO HAVE OFF LOADED AT 4000 LB PALLET. AFTER REFUELING FOR FLT WE DEPARTED 2.5 HRS LATE. FLT WAS PLANNED/OPERATED AT A LEGAL TAXI AND TKOF WT. CREW MADE EVERY EFFORT TO ASSURE A SAFE AND LEGAL FLT THROUGHOUT. FRUSTRATION IN THE TIMELY AND INFORMATIVE COM FROM LOAD PLANNING WAS NOT ONLY EMBARRASSING BUT UNACCEPTABLE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.