Narrative:

The flight originally was loaded and we pushed back two minutes prior to our scheduled time and made it into position on the runway at two different times before weather conditions caused us to exit the runway on both occasions. Subsequent necessity for more fuel caused a return to the gate. After being re-fueled and finally getting underway again; we made it to number one at the end of the runway and just before tower was going to clear us onto the runway for takeoff; we were told of a need to return to the gate by company. I asked why we needed to return and was told that it was a cargo loading issue. Up to that point; we had had multiple issuances of final weights from centralized load planning. In other words; we had our numbers and we were good to go. I then contacted centralized load planning and asked them if there was a loading problem. They said no and resent the final weights yet again. I then reconfirmed the need to return to the gate and was told that absolutely yes; we needed to return to the gate. As we returned to the gate; we learned that there was indeed a cargo loading problem and that it would be rectified. By this time; it is around three hours after our original push and somehow the ramp only then figured out that a mistake had been made. This is the issue that needs to be addressed. Had it not been for very unusual weather circumstances; the flight would have been airborne hours before the loading problem was discovered.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300 flight crew experienced lengthy ground delays due to weather only to be told when ready for takeoff that the forward cargo bins had been loaded incorrectly and it was necessary to return for reloading.

Narrative: The flight originally was loaded and we pushed back two minutes prior to our scheduled time and made it into position on the runway at two different times before weather conditions caused us to exit the runway on both occasions. Subsequent necessity for more fuel caused a return to the gate. After being re-fueled and finally getting underway again; we made it to number one at the end of the runway and just before tower was going to clear us onto the runway for takeoff; we were told of a need to return to the gate by company. I asked why we needed to return and was told that it was a cargo loading issue. Up to that point; we had had multiple issuances of final weights from centralized load planning. In other words; we had our numbers and we were good to go. I then contacted centralized load planning and asked them if there was a loading problem. They said no and resent the final weights yet again. I then reconfirmed the need to return to the gate and was told that absolutely yes; we needed to return to the gate. As we returned to the gate; we learned that there was indeed a cargo loading problem and that it would be rectified. By this time; it is around three hours after our original push and somehow the ramp only then figured out that a mistake had been made. This is the issue that needs to be addressed. Had it not been for very unusual weather circumstances; the flight would have been airborne hours before the loading problem was discovered.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.