MD-11
Dispatch Dispatcher
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Weight And Balance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Aircraft
XA:18 The flight blocked out.XA:22 I noticed on the Flight Progress Strip (FPS) that the fuel load at block out showed at 67;700 lbs. The flight was released with a fuel load of 85;000 lbs.XA:23 The weight and balance also showed a fuel load of 67;700 lbs.XA:25 I sent an ACARS to the crew asking them to confirm the Fuel On Board (FOB).XA:26 I called aircraft fueling. They advised that the aircraft was fueled to 85;400 lbs.XA:27 Still no response to my ACARS message. I sent another ACARS message to the printer in the aircraft. I also called the ramp agent that prepared the weight and balance. She confirmed that the fuel numbers she received were for a fuel load of 67;700 lbs.XA:28 I called the ramp tower to ask if they were still in contact with the flight. The ramp tower advised that the aircraft was currently on the runway. XA:29 The flight was off. XA:38 I sent an ACARS to the crew asking them to confirm the FOB.XA:39 I got two blank ACARS messages from the crew. The first message indicated that the FOB was 85;000 lbs. The second message indicated that the FOB was 82;200 lbs. XA:44 I sent another ACARS message stating that I saw the difference in the weight and balance fuel load vs the flight plan fuel load. XA:47 The crew sent an ACARS that said; 'I SEE THAT NOW. WE HAVE 74.3 NOW. BLOCKED OUT WITH 28.3/28.5/28.4.'XA:50 I advise Duty Officer about the situation.XA:55 I called the ramp agent and told her to reopen the weight and balance. I gave her the correct fuel numbers. The TOGW Center of Gravity (CG) moved 0.2% of Mean Aerodynamic Cord (MAC).XB:01 I sent the crew an ACARS telling them that the Duty Officer suggests they fill out a safety report.Ramp agents can get the fuel loads directly from the flight crew. Flight crew can check fuel numbers on final W/B vs flight plan fuel.
Aircraft had a MEL; #1 fuel tank quantity indicator inoperative; which was reviewed and complied with. The MEL resulted in fuel quantity; Aircraft Gross Weight (GW); and Center of Gravity (CG) missing from secondary engine page; as well as Takeoff Gross Weight (TOGW) missing from initialization page 2. Aircraft performance fuel verification module was used. We received a prelim Weight and Balance (WB) with incorrect fuel (67.7 versus actual computed fuel of 84.4) and did not catch the error. We cross checked the alpha numeric portion of the final WB with FMS weight initialization PG 2; and it was correct; except that the FMS TOGW was blank; due to the MEL (which would have caught the mistake). Fuel On Board (FOB) was verified; and agreed with the Fuel Pressure Regulator (FPR) and entered after engine start in accordance with the MEL. V speeds had to be re-entered; and the aircraft performance was used; using the bogus (WB) fuel quantity and TOGW. FPR fuel total was 85k. Fuel Over Destination (FOD) was 56K. After launch; Dispatch sent us a message inquiring FOB. We replied and subsequently determined that the WB was incorrect; and approximately 17K light. When V-speeds were re-entered; they were 3 knots lower than FMS computed V-speeds. Since that raised a question mark in my mind; I checked FMS vs actual (my computation) TOGW; and they were within 3K (426.6 and 429.3); which I chalked up to taxi fuel. I should have reconciled aircraft performance TOGW with FMS TOGW (411.5 vs 426.6). The bottom line is we rotated 3 knots early. Because we had so much fuel; required fuel for TO was never an issue. Because we were light; and I rotated slowly; there were no discernible controllability issues. There were enough distractors here; (fuel system in manual; MEL compliance) that we did not catch the error.Our ramp agent sent a preliminary WB that was wrong and we did not catch it while trying to comply with a complex MEL.There are established procedures for verifying WB that include fuel distribution. Doing it the same way; every day is what keeps these things from happening. Also stress to ramp agents to get the fuel correct on the prelim WB. It seems that more often than not; it is wrong. That does not absolve us of our mistake; but it is one link in the chain of events that can lead to a mishap.
MD11 Dispatcher and the flight crew report a flight departure with an incorrect fuel load on the weight and balance. The aircraft had been dispatched with the number one fuel tank gauge inoperative; rendering the totalizer and FMC fuel indications inoperative. The correct fuel load (85K) was on board but the weight and balance showed 67K.