An air carrier small transport rocked onto its tail.

Attributes
ACN	258095
Time
Date	199311
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdr
State Reference	CT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	258095
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 490
ASRS Report	258352
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Prior to picking up our charter passenger, I briefed to the copilot at length on our company's loading procedure. We were to pick up 15 passenger for a day trip. The weight and balance showed us to be within limits. I was seated in the pilot's seat while the copilot directed and assisted in the proper loading of the aircraft. All forward seats were occupied before aft seats. When the last passenger boarded, the aircraft tilted and landed on its tail causing minor damage. The copilot very gingerly righted the aircraft and we deplaned all passenger without incident. I immediately canceled the flight and notified company maintenance. The problem arose from the fact that it was a day trip, meaning no baggage to put in the nose. In such sits, an aircraft should be equipped with a ballast and a tailstand. Supplemental information from acn 258352: with no bags, the center of gravity was just inside the aft limit but the passenger had no bags - not even so much as a briefcase. We were within limits according to our calculations (and standard weights) but the passenger were all men and probably averaged more like 190-200 pounds each. This was a good thing because otherwise we might have become airborne with an aft center of gravity.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR SMT ROCKED ONTO ITS TAIL.

Narrative: PRIOR TO PICKING UP OUR CHARTER PAX, I BRIEFED TO THE COPLT AT LENGTH ON OUR COMPANY'S LOADING PROC. WE WERE TO PICK UP 15 PAX FOR A DAY TRIP. THE WT AND BAL SHOWED US TO BE WITHIN LIMITS. I WAS SEATED IN THE PLT'S SEAT WHILE THE COPLT DIRECTED AND ASSISTED IN THE PROPER LOADING OF THE ACFT. ALL FORWARD SEATS WERE OCCUPIED BEFORE AFT SEATS. WHEN THE LAST PAX BOARDED, THE ACFT TILTED AND LANDED ON ITS TAIL CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE. THE COPLT VERY GINGERLY RIGHTED THE ACFT AND WE DEPLANED ALL PAX WITHOUT INCIDENT. I IMMEDIATELY CANCELED THE FLT AND NOTIFIED COMPANY MAINT. THE PROB AROSE FROM THE FACT THAT IT WAS A DAY TRIP, MEANING NO BAGGAGE TO PUT IN THE NOSE. IN SUCH SITS, AN ACFT SHOULD BE EQUIPPED WITH A BALLAST AND A TAILSTAND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 258352: WITH NO BAGS, THE CTR OF GRAVITY WAS JUST INSIDE THE AFT LIMIT BUT THE PAX HAD NO BAGS - NOT EVEN SO MUCH AS A BRIEFCASE. WE WERE WITHIN LIMITS ACCORDING TO OUR CALCULATIONS (AND STANDARD WTS) BUT THE PAX WERE ALL MEN AND PROBABLY AVERAGED MORE LIKE 190-200 LBS EACH. THIS WAS A GOOD THING BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE MIGHT HAVE BECOME AIRBORNE WITH AN AFT CENTER OF GRAVITY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.