An air carrier pilot reports seeing 'heavy' bags unload after a flight when weight and balance indic...

Attributes
ACN	785448
Time
Date	200804
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	785448
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

We were given a load slip in ZZZ with 18 valet bags in the forward cargo bay and 90 standard checked in the aft cargo bay. As I was doing the walkaround; I noticed they were taking heavy bags out of the forward cargo bin (these were checked bags with the 'heavy' tags clearly visible). I counted 5 heavy checked bags in the forward and 1 standard checked (load slip indicated 18 valet in the forward). I told the captain and we decided I should go see what was loaded in the aft bay. The ground crew had already started unloading by the time I started observing. While I was observing; I counted 18 heavy checked bags that were unloaded (the load slip indicated zero) and counted 78 total bags unloaded (the ground crew had already taken away some bags). There was also 3 valet bags aft. We had 23 heavy bags we were unaware of on our plane. This is 690 pounds of additional weight which was not factored into the performance or our plane. Even with the added weight the plane was still under mtow. We also had to move passenger's for center of gravity reasons prior to pushback (5 from aft to forward). It is unacceptable to be that far off on bag counts. It is a severe safety issue. My bag count forward: 6 hvys; 18 standard/aft: 3 valet; 18 hvys; 54 standard.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PILOT REPORTS SEEING 'HEAVY' BAGS UNLOAD AFTER A FLT WHEN WT AND BAL INDICATED NONE. WT AND BAL AND CENTER OF GRAVITY WERE IN ERROR BY 690 LBS.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A LOAD SLIP IN ZZZ WITH 18 VALET BAGS IN THE FORWARD CARGO BAY AND 90 STANDARD CHKED IN THE AFT CARGO BAY. AS I WAS DOING THE WALKAROUND; I NOTICED THEY WERE TAKING HVY BAGS OUT OF THE FORWARD CARGO BIN (THESE WERE CHKED BAGS WITH THE 'HVY' TAGS CLEARLY VISIBLE). I COUNTED 5 HVY CHKED BAGS IN THE FORWARD AND 1 STANDARD CHKED (LOAD SLIP INDICATED 18 VALET IN THE FORWARD). I TOLD THE CAPT AND WE DECIDED I SHOULD GO SEE WHAT WAS LOADED IN THE AFT BAY. THE GND CREW HAD ALREADY STARTED UNLOADING BY THE TIME I STARTED OBSERVING. WHILE I WAS OBSERVING; I COUNTED 18 HVY CHKED BAGS THAT WERE UNLOADED (THE LOAD SLIP INDICATED ZERO) AND COUNTED 78 TOTAL BAGS UNLOADED (THE GND CREW HAD ALREADY TAKEN AWAY SOME BAGS). THERE WAS ALSO 3 VALET BAGS AFT. WE HAD 23 HVY BAGS WE WERE UNAWARE OF ON OUR PLANE. THIS IS 690 LBS OF ADDITIONAL WT WHICH WAS NOT FACTORED INTO THE PERFORMANCE OR OUR PLANE. EVEN WITH THE ADDED WT THE PLANE WAS STILL UNDER MTOW. WE ALSO HAD TO MOVE PAX'S FOR CTR OF GRAVITY REASONS PRIOR TO PUSHBACK (5 FROM AFT TO FORWARD). IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO BE THAT FAR OFF ON BAG COUNTS. IT IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE. MY BAG COUNT FORWARD: 6 HVYS; 18 STANDARD/AFT: 3 VALET; 18 HVYS; 54 STANDARD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

An air carrier pilot reports seeing 'heavy' bags unload after a flight when weight and balance indicated none. Weight and balance and center of gravity were in error by 690 pounds.