Narrative:

At XA54, after proper preflight, flight departed lbb en route to dfw. At approximately AB00, 10 NM south of dfw, the aircraft tail stand separated from the aircraft. It landed in an empty parking lot. This flight was a maintenance ferry (relocation) flight. Normal procedures for the removal of the tail stand prior to flight were not followed. A probable cause is the fact that there are no procedures for the removal of the tail stand in this type of unscheduled flight. Another factor is the absence of this item on any checklist for verification of removal. Definition of tail stand: a metal, cylinder shaped device approximately 20 inches in length weighing about 12 pounds. Used for ground operations specifically in the event the aircraft becomes unbalanced in passenger boarding and tips rearward on its tail. It is secured with a pin (primary means of attachment) and this main pin is further secured with a smaller pin. Supplemental information from acn 366428: I was on a maintenance ferry flight from lbb to dfw in an ATR72 with a crew of 2 pilots and 2 riding flight attendants. Due to the lack of ground handling personnel, the flight taxied and departed lbb with the aircraft tail stand still attached to the aircraft. The tail stand came off in-flight and dropped down to an empty parking lot in grand prairie, tx, from an altitude of about 3000 ft MSL. While on approach to the dfw airport, the tail stand was discovered by people on the ground and forwarded to the FAA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MDT FERRY FLT. CGP FAILED TO REMOVE TAIL STAND BEFORE FLT. STAND CAME OFF THE ACFT ON APCH DFW AND LANDED IN AN EMPTY PARKING LOT. NOT A CHKLIST ITEM.

Narrative: AT XA54, AFTER PROPER PREFLT, FLT DEPARTED LBB ENRTE TO DFW. AT APPROX AB00, 10 NM S OF DFW, THE ACFT TAIL STAND SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. IT LANDED IN AN EMPTY PARKING LOT. THIS FLT WAS A MAINT FERRY (RELOCATION) FLT. NORMAL PROCS FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE TAIL STAND PRIOR TO FLT WERE NOT FOLLOWED. A PROBABLE CAUSE IS THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NO PROCS FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE TAIL STAND IN THIS TYPE OF UNSCHEDULED FLT. ANOTHER FACTOR IS THE ABSENCE OF THIS ITEM ON ANY CHKLIST FOR VERIFICATION OF REMOVAL. DEFINITION OF TAIL STAND: A METAL, CYLINDER SHAPED DEVICE APPROX 20 INCHES IN LENGTH WEIGHING ABOUT 12 LBS. USED FOR GND OPS SPECIFICALLY IN THE EVENT THE ACFT BECOMES UNBALANCED IN PAX BOARDING AND TIPS REARWARD ON ITS TAIL. IT IS SECURED WITH A PIN (PRIMARY MEANS OF ATTACHMENT) AND THIS MAIN PIN IS FURTHER SECURED WITH A SMALLER PIN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 366428: I WAS ON A MAINT FERRY FLT FROM LBB TO DFW IN AN ATR72 WITH A CREW OF 2 PLTS AND 2 RIDING FLT ATTENDANTS. DUE TO THE LACK OF GND HANDLING PERSONNEL, THE FLT TAXIED AND DEPARTED LBB WITH THE ACFT TAIL STAND STILL ATTACHED TO THE ACFT. THE TAIL STAND CAME OFF INFLT AND DROPPED DOWN TO AN EMPTY PARKING LOT IN GRAND PRAIRIE, TX, FROM AN ALT OF ABOUT 3000 FT MSL. WHILE ON APCH TO THE DFW ARPT, THE TAIL STAND WAS DISCOVERED BY PEOPLE ON THE GND AND FORWARDED TO THE FAA.

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.