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  6. Interim Aviation Safety Recommendations Standard Passenger Weights - Use and Validity of Standard Values

Interim Aviation Safety Recommendations Standard Passenger Weights - Use and Validity of Standard Values

Background

On 17 January 2004 at 1638 eastern standard time, Georgian Express Flight 126 (GGN 126), a Cessna Caravan 208B, C-FAGA, departed Pelee Island, Ontario, en route to Windsor, Ontario. There were nine passengers and one crew member on board. Shortly after take-off, the aircraft struck the ice-covered surface of Lake Erie, fatally injuring all 10 occupants. Although the investigation (A04H0001) is ongoing, there is factual information to suggest that the aircraft's weight was a contributing factor in the accident. The maximum take-off weight in the Cessna aircraft manual is 8750 pounds (cargo pod installed) or 8550 pounds if flying into known icing conditions. The investigation determined that the actual weight of the occurrence aircraft on departure from Pelee Island was approximately 9820 pounds, 1270 pounds over gross weight (see Appendix A).

Regulations prohibit the operation of an aircraft unless its weight and centre of gravity conform to the limitations specified in the aircraft manual (Canadian Aviation Regulations [CARs] 703.37, 704.32 and 705.39). For passenger-carrying operations, the calculation of passenger weight is one of the primary determinants of total aircraft weight. In Canadian aviation, the use of Aeronautical Information Publication (A.I.P. Canada) standard weights is the common means of determining passenger weight. However, recent studies in the United States have shown that the current values for standard passenger weights are no longer representative of the general population.

The standard weights published in A.I.P. Canada incorporate the weight of clothing and carry-on baggage. In the Pelee Island accident, the calculated weight for the persons on board using standard weights was 1833 pounds; the actual weight of the persons on board and their clothing was 2400 pounds. This represents a difference of 567 pounds (see Appendix A). For a small aircraft such as the Cessna Caravan, using average weight instead of actual weight can have serious performance implications.

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Date modified:
2010-06-22