The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered all U.S. airlines to increase their weight estimates for passengers and checked baggage. The directive comes after airline safety officials revealed that January's crash of a US Airways Beech 1900D turboprop commuter plane in Charlotte, North Carolina may have been due to overloading, which subsequently may have caused the pilots to lose control of the aircraft's pitch.

As part of the new regulations, airlines will raise the assumed weight for passengers by 10 pounds and the assumed weight for checked luggage by 5 pounds. Most airlines currently assume a weight of 180 pounds for each adult passenger in the summer, 185 pounds in the winter and 25 pounds for each checked bag.

A spokesperson for the FAA said the new weight requirements may have an impact on airline operations--some seats may go unsold and cargo may be moved to aircrafts that can handle the additional weight, both of which will affect an airline's revenue. Airlines have 90 days to honor the order, which will remain in effect until the FAA can establish a committee of safety experts to review the issue further.