Narrative:

My employer recently started their own computerized flight plan. Our takeoff weight was approximately 167000# at pit, PA. Maximum landing weight of our aircraft, 154500#. FAA inspector on jumpseat, check airman (me) in right seat conducting IOE for new upgrade captain in left seat. We landed at bos 155100#, 600 pounds overweight. We knew we were overweight. Checked our west/B through company radio. All was correct, we were 600 pounds heavy. New captain discussed possible alternatives and after checking our manual, which provides for overweight lndgs, decided rather than dump or waste fuel, we would land, alert bos maintenance and make the proper logbook entry, which we did. A normal approach and landing followed. The FAA inspector's opinion was we should have burned the fuel down rather than land. I discussed with him our manual provides for overweight landing and it was captain's discretion. The problem is company shows and uses fuel burn based on block to block time, in this case 1 hour, 38 mins burn. Our actual block-block time was 1 hour, 25 mins with a total air time of 1 hour, 6 mins. Also, due to not much traffic (ATC) we beat the sheduled burn by 300 pounds. I have talked to others in the company re this and it is under study at this time. If company weight and balance was based on a realistic burn, in this case the crew would not have been set up. I can defend the new captain's action as captain's discretion and entirely legal. However, perhaps under the circumstances a more conservative approach would have been better. I think the issue will be dropped by our local FAA. We'll see.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT USED WRONG FUEL BURN WHEN COMPUTING FLT PLAN ANALYSIS. ACFT LANDED 600 POUNDS OVER MAXIMUM CERTIFIED LNDG GROSS WEIGHT.

Narrative: MY EMPLOYER RECENTLY STARTED THEIR OWN COMPUTERIZED FLT PLAN. OUR TKOF WT WAS APPROX 167000# AT PIT, PA. MAX LNDG WT OF OUR ACFT, 154500#. FAA INSPECTOR ON JUMPSEAT, CHK AIRMAN (ME) IN RIGHT SEAT CONDUCTING IOE FOR NEW UPGRADE CAPT IN LEFT SEAT. WE LANDED AT BOS 155100#, 600 LBS OVERWEIGHT. WE KNEW WE WERE OVERWT. CHKED OUR W/B THROUGH COMPANY RADIO. ALL WAS CORRECT, WE WERE 600 LBS HEAVY. NEW CAPT DISCUSSED POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES AND AFTER CHKING OUR MANUAL, WHICH PROVIDES FOR OVERWT LNDGS, DECIDED RATHER THAN DUMP OR WASTE FUEL, WE WOULD LAND, ALERT BOS MAINT AND MAKE THE PROPER LOGBOOK ENTRY, WHICH WE DID. A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG FOLLOWED. THE FAA INSPECTOR'S OPINION WAS WE SHOULD HAVE BURNED THE FUEL DOWN RATHER THAN LAND. I DISCUSSED WITH HIM OUR MANUAL PROVIDES FOR OVERWT LNDG AND IT WAS CAPT'S DISCRETION. THE PROB IS COMPANY SHOWS AND USES FUEL BURN BASED ON BLOCK TO BLOCK TIME, IN THIS CASE 1 HR, 38 MINS BURN. OUR ACTUAL BLOCK-BLOCK TIME WAS 1 HR, 25 MINS WITH A TOTAL AIR TIME OF 1 HR, 6 MINS. ALSO, DUE TO NOT MUCH TFC (ATC) WE BEAT THE SHEDULED BURN BY 300 LBS. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHERS IN THE COMPANY RE THIS AND IT IS UNDER STUDY AT THIS TIME. IF COMPANY WT AND BALANCE WAS BASED ON A REALISTIC BURN, IN THIS CASE THE CREW WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SET UP. I CAN DEFEND THE NEW CAPT'S ACTION AS CAPT'S DISCRETION AND ENTIRELY LEGAL. HOWEVER, PERHAPS UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES A MORE CONSERVATIVE APCH WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. I THINK THE ISSUE WILL BE DROPPED BY OUR LCL FAA. WE'LL SEE.

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