A B747 departed 108;000 pounds heavier than calculated because of a weight and balance error.

Attributes
ACN	804855
Time
Date	200809
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzzz.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : takeoff roll
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 : 25000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	804855
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine technician : airframe technician : powerplant
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 30000
ASRS Report	804583
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

After departure; no problems were noted. When the aircraft was leveled off at cruise altitude FL350; we noticed that calculated cruise power was not holding cruise mach speed. I asked the flight engineer to recalculate the EPR for cruise speed. He did and restated it was correct. We then looked at the weight and balance form and saw the ramp fuel was 12000 pounds; but should have been 120000 pounds. Our company has a weight and balance program on computer. It should not have allowed the loadmaster to complete the weight and balance; but it did. All 3 crew members missed this gross error. In the future; all crew members will review and agree on this form. Supplemental information from acn 804853: factors affecting the quality of human performance: I had not eaten for 12 hours; minimum rest. After long; duty period. Rush to get flight out on time. Crew was complacent on procedure and making sure all items were correct.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747 DEPARTED 108;000 LBS HEAVIER THAN CALCULATED BECAUSE OF A WT AND BALANCE ERROR.

Narrative: AFTER DEP; NO PROBS WERE NOTED. WHEN THE ACFT WAS LEVELED OFF AT CRUISE ALT FL350; WE NOTICED THAT CALCULATED CRUISE PWR WAS NOT HOLDING CRUISE MACH SPD. I ASKED THE FE TO RECALCULATE THE EPR FOR CRUISE SPD. HE DID AND RESTATED IT WAS CORRECT. WE THEN LOOKED AT THE WT AND BAL FORM AND SAW THE RAMP FUEL WAS 12000 LBS; BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 120000 LBS. OUR COMPANY HAS A WT AND BAL PROGRAM ON COMPUTER. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED THE LOADMASTER TO COMPLETE THE WT AND BAL; BUT IT DID. ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS MISSED THIS GROSS ERROR. IN THE FUTURE; ALL CREW MEMBERS WILL REVIEW AND AGREE ON THIS FORM. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 804853: FACTORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE: I HAD NOT EATEN FOR 12 HRS; MINIMUM REST. AFTER LONG; DUTY PERIOD. RUSH TO GET FLT OUT ON TIME. CREW WAS COMPLACENT ON PROC AND MAKING SURE ALL ITEMS WERE CORRECT.

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.