Narrative:

Light transport went on its tail upon arrival at gate. Ramp personnel were unable to install tailstand because cargo door was jammed because cargo net was not properly rigged by previous station ramp personnel. Typical everyday all- around carelessness which is prevalent at regional airlines. I was assigned as PIC to ferry aircraft from msp to sux. Company issued a ferry permit after inspection by a maintenance representative. During preflight, first officer and I noted obvious damage to tailstand bracket and slight (1 cm) skin and frame indentation. I questioned the mechanic about his inspection and what was the extent of damage to the structural members. He said he was told by maintenance management to swing the landing gear, operate the control surfaces, but not to open the cargo compartment floorboards to inspect the stringers and framing in the vicinity of the tail. I spoke to maintenance management to insist on structural inspection to determine extent of damage before I would ferry the aircraft. Management strongly refused to allow anyone to inspect the internals. Due to various pressures, fatigue, and lack of respect for human life, I and the first officer ferried the aircraft anyway. Later inspection of the tail revealed significant internal damage to structural members.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LTT CREW WAS FORCED TO FERRY AN ACFT WITH DAMAGE NOT PROPERLY INSPECTED.

Narrative: LTT WENT ON ITS TAIL UPON ARR AT GATE. RAMP PERSONNEL WERE UNABLE TO INSTALL TAILSTAND BECAUSE CARGO DOOR WAS JAMMED BECAUSE CARGO NET WAS NOT PROPERLY RIGGED BY PREVIOUS STATION RAMP PERSONNEL. TYPICAL EVERYDAY ALL- AROUND CARELESSNESS WHICH IS PREVALENT AT REGIONAL AIRLINES. I WAS ASSIGNED AS PIC TO FERRY ACFT FROM MSP TO SUX. COMPANY ISSUED A FERRY PERMIT AFTER INSPECTION BY A MAINT REPRESENTATIVE. DURING PREFLT, FO AND I NOTED OBVIOUS DAMAGE TO TAILSTAND BRACKET AND SLIGHT (1 CM) SKIN AND FRAME INDENTATION. I QUESTIONED THE MECH ABOUT HIS INSPECTION AND WHAT WAS THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURAL MEMBERS. HE SAID HE WAS TOLD BY MAINT MGMNT TO SWING THE LNDG GEAR, OPERATE THE CTL SURFACES, BUT NOT TO OPEN THE CARGO COMPARTMENT FLOORBOARDS TO INSPECT THE STRINGERS AND FRAMING IN THE VICINITY OF THE TAIL. I SPOKE TO MAINT MGMNT TO INSIST ON STRUCTURAL INSPECTION TO DETERMINE EXTENT OF DAMAGE BEFORE I WOULD FERRY THE ACFT. MGMNT STRONGLY REFUSED TO ALLOW ANYONE TO INSPECT THE INTERNALS. DUE TO VARIOUS PRESSURES, FATIGUE, AND LACK OF RESPECT FOR HUMAN LIFE, I AND THE FO FERRIED THE ACFT ANYWAY. LATER INSPECTION OF THE TAIL REVEALED SIGNIFICANT INTERNAL DAMAGE TO STRUCTURAL MEMBERS.

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.