No fatalities

5 Jun 2016: CESSNA 208 B — Air Choice One — Fort Dodge, IA

Fort Dodge, IA, United States
SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

An airplane tipped onto its tail while the seventh passenger was being loaded. The tail stand had not been installed, and neither pilot noticed. The flight was completed, but substantial damage to the aft bulkhead was later discovered.

Incident Details

The pilot in command reported that during the loading of the seventh and final passenger, the airplane tipped onto its tail and impacted the ramp surface. The tail stand was not installed, and neither the pilot nor the co-pilot noticed the omission before passenger loading began.

Post-Flight Inspection

According to the operator's National Transportation Safety Board Accident/Incident report form 6120.1, after a review of photographs sent to company maintenance, no "major damage" was visually identified. The airplane was released for service, and the flight crew completed the revenue flight. After the airplane reached a company domicile, it was grounded following a further visual inspection that revealed substantial damage to the aft bulkhead.

The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Causes

Flight crewInadequate inspection

Other contributing factors

Not inspected