Dash 8-300
Other / Unknown; Training / Qualification; Time Pressure
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Weight And Balance
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors
I was the First Officer on this flight and this was my leg. We were delayed in our departure. The ramp crew; after loading the bags; provided a [load manifest]. Based on the number of passengers and number and weight of bags; the Captain determined that there was an excess of bags. He asked the ramper to bring gate-checked bags into the cabin. A short time later; the same ramper returned; and attempted to put the new numbers on the old [load manifest]. The Captain requested that the ramper fill out a new [load manifest]; which he did. Both the Captain and I looked at the new [load manifest]; and noted that six heavy bags had been reduced to three. The Captain questioned the ramper as to where the other three heavy bags had gone. The ramper said they had taken them off. Once we arrived; the Captain went outside to check the load. He related to me that the counts were off; all the heavy bags remained on board; and the bags exceeded the bag line in the cargo compartment.
DHC8-300 First Officer describes an improper load discovered by the Captain who asks the ramper to bring the gate checked bags into the cabin. The six heavy bags have been reduced to three and the ramper states the other three have been removed. Upon arrival the Captain checks the baggage compartment and finds the bags in question were not removed and are over the bag line.