Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 208B near Chicago, IL — 2013-07-17

Final reportCEN13LA421
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Date
2013-07-17
Location
Chicago, IL, USA
Airport
KORD
Aircraft
CESSNA 208B
Registration
N732MD
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Ground

Probable cause

The gate agent’s premature removal of the tailstand without confirming with the flight crew that it was safe to remove, which allowed the airplane to tilt backward when a passenger stood up and stepped toward the back of the airplane.

NTSB narrative

After the airplane was boarded, the gate agent removed the tailstand from the airplane without communicating with the flight crew. A passenger in row 3 then stood up to hand a carry-on bag to the second-in-command, who was standing in the doorway, for stowage in the cargo compartment. As the passenger stood up and stepped toward the back of the airplane, the airplane tilted backward, and its tail struck the tarmac, which resulted in substantial damage. The gate agent's premature removal of the tailstand allowed the airplane to tilt backward when the passenger stood up and stepped toward the back of the airplane.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Gate agent removed tail stand without communicating with flight crew.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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