Narrative:

Notified by load planning in cruise flight that the aircraft center of gravity was out of limits for departure. During taxi out while awaiting final weights; received ACARS message that the baggage load distribution required that passenger be moved forward from rows 20 and 21 and that the rows be blocked. Captain taxied aircraft to a location that would not interfere with operations; the aircraft was stopped; brakes set; and the flight attendants directed to move the passenger. Just prior to this ACARS message; we had requested that the flight attendants conduct an actual passenger count which we were going to send to load planning. Flight attendants gave us 7 in first class and 75 in coach and 1 lap passenger (in first class). With this accomplished; we received final weight manifest of 7 in first; 74 in coach 0 laps. We entered corrections to FMC; set elevator trim; and made an uneventful departure. Then in cruise altitude; received message that aircraft was out of center of gravity. We provided load planning with actual head count including 'kid count.' 1 kid in coach included in count of 7/75 plus 1 lap provided by the flight attendants. Load planning recomputed final weights and directed flight crew to additionally block row 19. This was accomplished and an uneventful landing ensued at destination. Human factors: customer service representatives rush to board aircraft to make on time departures may provide incorrect data to system accessed by load planning. Other factors: crews no longer required to conduct actual head counts. Customer service agents do not provide flight crew with passenger manifests 100% of the time. Pilots accept final weight as 'final' since they no longer have any cross-verification process.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-500 FLT CREW TKOF WITH CTR OF GRAVITY OUT OF LIMITS IN FLT AFTER CUSTOMER SVC PERSONNEL RUSHED FOR ON TIME DEP WITH INACCURATE PAX COUNT.

Narrative: NOTIFIED BY LOAD PLANNING IN CRUISE FLT THAT THE ACFT CTR OF GRAVITY WAS OUT OF LIMITS FOR DEP. DURING TAXI OUT WHILE AWAITING FINAL WTS; RECEIVED ACARS MESSAGE THAT THE BAGGAGE LOAD DISTRIBUTION REQUIRED THAT PAX BE MOVED FORWARD FROM ROWS 20 AND 21 AND THAT THE ROWS BE BLOCKED. CAPT TAXIED ACFT TO A LOCATION THAT WOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH OPS; THE ACFT WAS STOPPED; BRAKES SET; AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS DIRECTED TO MOVE THE PAX. JUST PRIOR TO THIS ACARS MESSAGE; WE HAD REQUESTED THAT THE FLT ATTENDANTS CONDUCT AN ACTUAL PAX COUNT WHICH WE WERE GOING TO SEND TO LOAD PLANNING. FLT ATTENDANTS GAVE US 7 IN FIRST CLASS AND 75 IN COACH AND 1 LAP PAX (IN FIRST CLASS). WITH THIS ACCOMPLISHED; WE RECEIVED FINAL WT MANIFEST OF 7 IN FIRST; 74 IN COACH 0 LAPS. WE ENTERED CORRECTIONS TO FMC; SET ELEVATOR TRIM; AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL DEP. THEN IN CRUISE ALT; RECEIVED MESSAGE THAT ACFT WAS OUT OF CTR OF GRAVITY. WE PROVIDED LOAD PLANNING WITH ACTUAL HEAD COUNT INCLUDING 'KID COUNT.' 1 KID IN COACH INCLUDED IN COUNT OF 7/75 PLUS 1 LAP PROVIDED BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS. LOAD PLANNING RECOMPUTED FINAL WTS AND DIRECTED FLT CREW TO ADDITIONALLY BLOCK ROW 19. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG ENSUED AT DEST. HUMAN FACTORS: CUSTOMER SVC REPRESENTATIVES RUSH TO BOARD ACFT TO MAKE ON TIME DEPS MAY PROVIDE INCORRECT DATA TO SYS ACCESSED BY LOAD PLANNING. OTHER FACTORS: CREWS NO LONGER REQUIRED TO CONDUCT ACTUAL HEAD COUNTS. CUSTOMER SVC AGENTS DO NOT PROVIDE FLT CREW WITH PAX MANIFESTS 100% OF THE TIME. PLTS ACCEPT FINAL WT AS 'FINAL' SINCE THEY NO LONGER HAVE ANY CROSS-VERIFICATION PROCESS.

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.