Incident Overview
On July 17, 2013, at approximately 0800 central daylight time, a Cessna 208B, registration N732MD, sustained substantial damage on the ramp at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (KORD), Chicago, Illinois. The aircraft, operated by Multi-Aero Inc., doing business as Air Choice One, was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 as a scheduled domestic passenger flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan at the time of the accident, which was during origination.
Sequence of Events
The Director of Operations for Air Choice One reported that the pilot in command and nine passengers were on board the aircraft, while the second in command was outside on the right side, adjacent to the passenger door and ventral stairs. A passenger in the last row requested assistance with her seatbelt from the second in command, prompting the second in command to climb the stairs into the aircraft. Concurrently, a gate agent removed the tail stand from the aircraft without communicating with the flight crew.
As a passenger in row three stood up to hand a carry-on bag to the second in command for storage in the cargo compartment, the aircraft tilted backward, causing the tail to strike the tarmac. The pilot in command verified that all occupants were unharmed and then asked passengers to move forward in an effort to lower the nose. The pilot in command, second in command, and passengers disembarked without further incident.
Damage and Examination
An examination of the aircraft revealed substantial damage to the bulkhead in the tail section. No anomalies were found in the remainder of the aircraft or its systems. The aircraft was registered to Multi-Aero Inc. and had nine passengers on board at the time; the pilot in command, second in command, and all passengers were not injured.