Incident Overview
During the takeoff roll, a shift in cargo prompted the pilot to abort the takeoff. The airplane returned to the ramp, and upon engine shutdown, the tail contacted the ramp surface, resulting in substantial damage to the tail section. The pilot was uninjured.
Cargo Securing Details
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector's record of interview, the pilot stated that prior to the incident only three to four straps were used to secure cargo. The pilot further explained that the cargo shifted during the takeoff roll. After returning to the ramp and shutting down the engine, the aircraft fell onto its tail.
The same FAA record noted that a witness reported that when the aircraft sat on its tail, a Fixed Base Operator (FBO) was asked to unload the cargo, which had only one strap holding it down. The witness stated that the 'D' ring had come loose from the floor attachment, and the cargo was still on rollers under the skid. The witness indicated that initially the cargo was loaded onto the aircraft only, and the pilot was the one who secured the cargo prior to the incident. After the incident, the FBO unloaded the cargo at the pilot's request, and then the pilot asked the FBO to reload the cargo because the pilot mentioned a hernia. The witness stated that the FBO would only reload the cargo if they loaded and secured it per their procedures, because when the pilot secured it, he only used one strap and left the load on the rollers. The witness also noted that the airplane departed with the cargo about 45 minutes after the accident.
NTSB Materials Laboratory Examination
The NTSB Materials Laboratory Factual Report (number 01-069) detailed an examination of a plunger and associated components. The examination revealed that portions of the pin were present in each end of the pin hole, but the portion that would have retained the plunger over the body was missing. The distance from the lowest point on the plunger pin to the underside of the plunger was measured as 0.684 inches. One of the roll pins exhibited a fracture face with a shiny granular appearance typical of brittle fracture. A side view showed the plunger in its lowest position with the pin contacting the bottom of the stud body hole, leaving a gap of 0.09 inches between the bottom of the plunger and the bottom of the stud body.