Narrative:

The aircraft taxied to the gate with the left engine shut down. Shortly after the parking brake was set, I feathered the right propeller prior to shutdown. A bucket containing lavatory fluid, which was sitting on top of the lavatory servicing cart, was sucked into the propeller and debris flew past flight deck window. I immediately selected fuel cutoff and informed the captain. The passenger were not aware of the incident and were not informed. One of air carrier's most respected ramp personnel admitted that he had placed the lavatory cart too close to the propeller area prior to aircraft arrival. The lavatory cart is routinely placed in this area prior to arrival to facilitate quick turn-arounds. Once abeam the cart, it is difficult to see from the flight deck because it disappears from view beneath the side of the fuselage. It can be seen, with difficulty, by pressing one's face against the side window. With hindsight, it would be prudent to place the lavatory cart and all other servicing equipment outside the fore/aft line of the propellers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLASTIC BUCKET WAS SUCKED INTO THE R PROP DURING PARKING DUE TO THE CLOSE PROX OF THE LAVATORY SVC CART TO THE PROP. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR INJURIES TO PERSONNEL.

Narrative: THE ACFT TAXIED TO THE GATE WITH THE L ENG SHUT DOWN. SHORTLY AFTER THE PARKING BRAKE WAS SET, I FEATHERED THE R PROP PRIOR TO SHUTDOWN. A BUCKET CONTAINING LAVATORY FLUID, WHICH WAS SITTING ON TOP OF THE LAVATORY SVCING CART, WAS SUCKED INTO THE PROP AND DEBRIS FLEW PAST FLT DECK WINDOW. I IMMEDIATELY SELECTED FUEL CUTOFF AND INFORMED THE CAPT. THE PAX WERE NOT AWARE OF THE INCIDENT AND WERE NOT INFORMED. ONE OF ACR'S MOST RESPECTED RAMP PERSONNEL ADMITTED THAT HE HAD PLACED THE LAVATORY CART TOO CLOSE TO THE PROP AREA PRIOR TO ACFT ARR. THE LAVATORY CART IS ROUTINELY PLACED IN THIS AREA PRIOR TO ARR TO FACILITATE QUICK TURN-AROUNDS. ONCE ABEAM THE CART, IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE FROM THE FLT DECK BECAUSE IT DISAPPEARS FROM VIEW BENEATH THE SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. IT CAN BE SEEN, WITH DIFFICULTY, BY PRESSING ONE'S FACE AGAINST THE SIDE WINDOW. WITH HINDSIGHT, IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO PLACE THE LAVATORY CART AND ALL OTHER SVCING EQUIP OUTSIDE THE FORE/AFT LINE OF THE PROPS.

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.