Narrative:

A commuter air carrier continues thru normal procedure to F.O.D. Out the ramp area by throwing garbage out the door onto ramp area. Ice cubes are thrown out on the ground. The ice can be picked up by the propellers and thrown into aircraft and ramp personnel. Other aircraft using gates subject to ice ingestion into jet engines. The ice and garbage present safety problems for ground personnel working in the area. This is normal procedure per the captain's information. I request your help in trying to get normal procedures changed. For the safety of the mechanics and ramp personnel working in the area, and also to prevent aircraft damage. The ice is also a danger to passenger safety. Passenger could slip on way into aircraft. Any help in getting this resolved would be greatly appreciated. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter, during callback, indicated that he has tried through his supervisors to have something done about this problem to no avail. He indicated that captains with the involved air carrier have told him that the flight attendants at his airline are trained that this is a proper disposal method for the old ice when new is boarded. He admits that on a hot summer day the hazard may dissipate quickly and not be a problem when the aircraft departs, but this is not always the case.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMUTER AIR CARRIER, FOLLOWING COMPANY TRAINING AND PROCEDURE DISPOSES OF ICE ON THE RAMP AT DTW, MI. RESULTING IN FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE HAZARDS WHEN IT IS THROWN ABOUT THE RAMP BY PROP WASH OF TAXIING ACFT.

Narrative: A COMMUTER ACR CONTINUES THRU NORMAL PROCEDURE TO F.O.D. OUT THE RAMP AREA BY THROWING GARBAGE OUT THE DOOR ONTO RAMP AREA. ICE CUBES ARE THROWN OUT ON THE GROUND. THE ICE CAN BE PICKED UP BY THE PROPS AND THROWN INTO ACFT AND RAMP PERSONNEL. OTHER ACFT USING GATES SUBJECT TO ICE INGESTION INTO JET ENGINES. THE ICE AND GARBAGE PRESENT SAFETY PROBLEMS FOR GROUND PERSONNEL WORKING IN THE AREA. THIS IS NORMAL PROCEDURE PER THE CAPTAIN'S INFORMATION. I REQUEST YOUR HELP IN TRYING TO GET NORMAL PROCEDURES CHANGED. FOR THE SAFETY OF THE MECHANICS AND RAMP PERSONNEL WORKING IN THE AREA, AND ALSO TO PREVENT ACFT DAMAGE. THE ICE IS ALSO A DANGER TO PASSENGER SAFETY. PASSENGER COULD SLIP ON WAY INTO ACFT. ANY HELP IN GETTING THIS RESOLVED WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR, DURING CALLBACK, INDICATED THAT HE HAS TRIED THROUGH HIS SUPERVISORS TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM TO NO AVAIL. HE INDICATED THAT CAPTAINS WITH THE INVOLVED AIR CARRIER HAVE TOLD HIM THAT THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS AT HIS AIRLINE ARE TRAINED THAT THIS IS A PROPER DISPOSAL METHOD FOR THE OLD ICE WHEN NEW IS BOARDED. HE ADMITS THAT ON A HOT SUMMER DAY THE HAZARD MAY DISSIPATE QUICKLY AND NOT BE A PROBLEM WHEN THE ACFT DEPARTS, BUT THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.

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.