COMMUTER ACFT DOES A 'TAIL STAND' FOR DEPLANING PAX WHEN CARGO IS OFF-LOADED IMPROPERLY. FLC GND CREW COORD INADEQUATE.

Narrative

ACFT WAS FULLY LOADED; WITHIN LIMITS; WITH EXTREME AFT CTR OF GRAVITY. AFTER ARR AT GATE; ENGS WERE SHUT DOWN. MAIN CABIN DOOR WAS OPENED BY RAMP/GATE AGENT. CAPT INFORMED AGENT THAT WE HAD FULL BAGS BACK AFT. FO GOT OUT OF HIS SEAT TO DEPLANE PAX. APPROX 1 MIN LATER; ACFT SHIFTED FROM NORMAL POS (ALL 3 WHEELS ON DECK) TO EXTREME NOSE HIGH; ACFT SITTING ON TALL ('TAIL STAND'). MINOR ACFT DAMAGE TO TAIL SECTION RESULTED WITH NO INJURIES. APPARENTLY; GATE AGENTS REMOVED ALL OF THE FORWARD BAGGAGE FIRST. THIS ALLOWED FOR A GROSS SHIFT AFT OF ACFT'S CTR OF GRAVITY; WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE ACFT TO SIT ON ITS TAIL. THE ACFT WAS LOADED CORRECTLY AND WITHIN LIMITS AT ORIGIN. AFTER THE INCIDENT; THE RAMP AGENTS STATED THAT THEY WERE DOING JUST WHAT THEY WERE TAUGHT TO DO -- REMOVE CARRY-ON BAGS FROM FORWARD BAGGAGE. HOWEVER; CARGO WAS LOADED IN FORWARD BAGGAGE; NOT CARRY-ON BAGS. THUS; THE 'BALLAST' IN FORWARD BAGGAGE WAS; OBVIOUSLY; NEEDED TO PREVENT A TAIL STAND UNTIL SUFFICIENT BAGS WERE REMOVED FROM AFT BAGGAGE. BETTER; MORE COMPLETE RAMP AGENT TRAINING IS NEEDED ON ACFT CTR OF GRAVITY AWARENESS AND THE PROPER WAY TO OFF-LOAD A FULLY LOADED; AFT CTR OF GRAVITY ACFT. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT.