Small aircraft commuter aircraft taxies into cargo left on ramp.

Attributes
ACN	275322
Time
Date	199406
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : z09
State Reference	AK
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	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 6170 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	275322
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

PA-32-300: long nose section. Poor forward visibility on ground, over-inflated nose strut. Maintenance personnel under the common but mistaken belief that overinflating the nosewheel strut will decrease propeller blade erosion/damage on dirt surfaces. Pilot observed freight on ramp approximately 20- 30 ft ahead of airplane before entering cockpit for startup and taxi. In his haste to get underway, he forgot about said freight (left by another carrier), and not having it in view over nose, taxied straight into it, causing repairable damage to contents (an outboard motor for boat) and non-repairable damage to airplane propeller (airplane engine not damaged). Human performance considerations: pilots should never allow themselves to be rushed. Those who leave objects on airport surfaces should always place them well away from traffic areas.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA COMMUTER ACFT TAXIES INTO CARGO LEFT ON RAMP.

Narrative: PA-32-300: LONG NOSE SECTION. POOR FORWARD VISIBILITY ON GND, OVER-INFLATED NOSE STRUT. MAINT PERSONNEL UNDER THE COMMON BUT MISTAKEN BELIEF THAT OVERINFLATING THE NOSEWHEEL STRUT WILL DECREASE PROP BLADE EROSION/DAMAGE ON DIRT SURFACES. PLT OBSERVED FREIGHT ON RAMP APPROX 20- 30 FT AHEAD OF AIRPLANE BEFORE ENTERING COCKPIT FOR STARTUP AND TAXI. IN HIS HASTE TO GET UNDERWAY, HE FORGOT ABOUT SAID FREIGHT (LEFT BY ANOTHER CARRIER), AND NOT HAVING IT IN VIEW OVER NOSE, TAXIED STRAIGHT INTO IT, CAUSING REPAIRABLE DAMAGE TO CONTENTS (AN OUTBOARD MOTOR FOR BOAT) AND NON-REPAIRABLE DAMAGE TO AIRPLANE PROP (AIRPLANE ENG NOT DAMAGED). HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: PLTS SHOULD NEVER ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE RUSHED. THOSE WHO LEAVE OBJECTS ON ARPT SURFACES SHOULD ALWAYS PLACE THEM WELL AWAY FROM TFC AREAS.

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.