What happened
On April 8, 2001, a Boeing 727-200, registration PP-SFC, operated by VASP, departed Fortaleza, Brazil, bound for Manaus. During the takeoff roll, the pilot experienced difficulty rotating the aircraft, noting that the takeoff speed was higher than planned. As the flight progressed, the aircraft's performance remained significantly below expectations; the climb phase took 8 minutes longer than scheduled, and the acceleration to cruise speed took an additional 6 minutes.
Upon arrival in Manaus, the commander requested a weight verification of the cargo. The investigation revealed that the 10 fiber optic cable reels being transported actually weighed 7,164 kg more than the weight declared on the aircraft's load sheet. This discrepancy caused the aircraft to exceed its maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) and maximum zero-fuel weight limits.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation into the incident at the Fortaleza cargo terminal identified several critical failures in the cargo handling process. The investigation found that the weight of the fiber optic reels varied significantly, and because they were stored outdoors, they may have absorbed moisture from rain, increasing their mass. Furthermore, the shipper provided incorrect weight information due to a specification error in the cable type.
Crucially, the investigation established that VASP's cargo terminal in Fortaleza lacked the necessary equipment to verify the weight of large pallets. The available scales had a capacity of only 200 kg, and the only larger scale available was located at a different facility and only accessible late at night. Consequently, ground staff relied on estimates or information provided by shippers without physical verification. The investigation also noted that the cargo's actual weight exceeded the available payload by 450 kg, even according to the (incorrect) declared figures.
Findings
- Inaccurate Weight Verification: The primary cause was the failure to weigh the cargo, as the terminal lacked adequate high-capacity scales, leading to reliance on unverified shipper data.
- Operational Deficiencies: There was a lack of standardized manual procedures for cargo handling, and the staff relied on informal knowledge transfer rather than organized training.
- Inadequate Supervision and Training: Cargo dispatchers and assistants lacked formal training regarding the operational impact of cargo weight on aircraft performance and limitations.
- Resource Constraints: The cargo terminal was understaffed, with workloads exceeding the capacity of the allocated personnel, leading to fatigue and reduced oversight.
- Safety Risks: The aircraft was operating in a state where a single engine failure during takeoff would have resulted in a negative climb gradient, making it impossible to maintain flight.