ATR72 crew departs with tail stand attached to aircraft after ground crew fails to remove it.

Attributes
ACN	724039
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tjsj.airport
State Reference	PR
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 72
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	724039
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	724040
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

During the after start checklist the ramp individual indicated that the tail stand was removed by a hand signal. Immediately after takeoff; tjsj operations called on the radio and stated that the tail stand was still attached to the aircraft. We contacted tower for a left downwind and returned to tjsj. We maintained a level landing attitude; taxied to parking; tail stand was removed; mechanics inspected the tail section and we departed a few mins later. Over the past few yrs; the tjsj ramp has been operating by hand signal alone to indicate that the tail stand has been removed. Although this procedure is not stated in the station operations manual or ATR aom; it has become common practice. Obviously; this practice should be avoided and all personnel be reminded that the tail stand must be shown to the captain in accordance with our manuals.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATR72 CREW DEPARTS WITH TAIL STAND ATTACHED TO AIRCRAFT AFTER GROUND CREW FAILS TO REMOVE IT.

Narrative: DURING THE AFTER START CHKLIST THE RAMP INDIVIDUAL INDICATED THAT THE TAIL STAND WAS REMOVED BY A HAND SIGNAL. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF; TJSJ OPS CALLED ON THE RADIO AND STATED THAT THE TAIL STAND WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE ACFT. WE CONTACTED TWR FOR A L DOWNWIND AND RETURNED TO TJSJ. WE MAINTAINED A LEVEL LNDG ATTITUDE; TAXIED TO PARKING; TAIL STAND WAS REMOVED; MECHS INSPECTED THE TAIL SECTION AND WE DEPARTED A FEW MINS LATER. OVER THE PAST FEW YRS; THE TJSJ RAMP HAS BEEN OPERATING BY HAND SIGNAL ALONE TO INDICATE THAT THE TAIL STAND HAS BEEN REMOVED. ALTHOUGH THIS PROC IS NOT STATED IN THE STATION OPS MANUAL OR ATR AOM; IT HAS BECOME COMMON PRACTICE. OBVIOUSLY; THIS PRACTICE SHOULD BE AVOIDED AND ALL PERSONNEL BE REMINDED THAT THE TAIL STAND MUST BE SHOWN TO THE CAPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR MANUALS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.