Narrative:

Cleared by ramp tower to taxi into gate and spotted marshaller directing us to taxi in parallel to the building. I asked my copilot to bring the propeller back to minimum range in case we needed to make a hard right turn. I looked out the left window and spotted wing walker giving me the all clear signal. I turned back to look at the marshaller in front directing me forward and a few seconds later, heard a loud noise and felt vibrations. I looked out the left window and saw debris flying around. I looked back further and saw the propeller was sheared about 1/2 way off. The copilot, who had his hand on the condition lever, then asked if I wanted him to shut it down. I answered yes. The engine was shut down and I called operations and told them that an accident had happened and to get help out to the ramp. The flight attendant and myself asked the passenger to remain seated until the situation outside was under control. After ramp help arrived and the situation outside was stabilized, we deplaned the passenger. After everything calmed down, I learned from witnesses that a carry-on baggage cart had been blown into the propeller from behind the aircraft. Another aircraft was turning out as we were taxiing in and apparently was the impetus in propelling the baggage cart toward us. Either the brake wasn't set or was worn to such an extent as to be ineffective. With all the construction going on at the memphis airport, the only solution I see to this kind of accident is increased vigilance in the area of ground equipment maintenance and placement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR TURBOPROP HAS A BAGGAGE CART BLOWN INTO IT FROM THE REAR BY ANOTHER ACFT, THE CART ENGAGING THE L PROP, SHEARING IT. MEM, TN.

Narrative: CLRED BY RAMP TWR TO TAXI INTO GATE AND SPOTTED MARSHALLER DIRECTING US TO TAXI IN PARALLEL TO THE BUILDING. I ASKED MY COPLT TO BRING THE PROP BACK TO MINIMUM RANGE IN CASE WE NEEDED TO MAKE A HARD R TURN. I LOOKED OUT THE L WINDOW AND SPOTTED WING WALKER GIVING ME THE ALL CLR SIGNAL. I TURNED BACK TO LOOK AT THE MARSHALLER IN FRONT DIRECTING ME FORWARD AND A FEW SECONDS LATER, HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT VIBRATIONS. I LOOKED OUT THE L WINDOW AND SAW DEBRIS FLYING AROUND. I LOOKED BACK FURTHER AND SAW THE PROP WAS SHEARED ABOUT 1/2 WAY OFF. THE COPLT, WHO HAD HIS HAND ON THE CONDITION LEVER, THEN ASKED IF I WANTED HIM TO SHUT IT DOWN. I ANSWERED YES. THE ENG WAS SHUT DOWN AND I CALLED OPS AND TOLD THEM THAT AN ACCIDENT HAD HAPPENED AND TO GET HELP OUT TO THE RAMP. THE FLT ATTENDANT AND MYSELF ASKED THE PAX TO REMAIN SEATED UNTIL THE SIT OUTSIDE WAS UNDER CTL. AFTER RAMP HELP ARRIVED AND THE SIT OUTSIDE WAS STABILIZED, WE DEPLANED THE PAX. AFTER EVERYTHING CALMED DOWN, I LEARNED FROM WITNESSES THAT A CARRY-ON BAGGAGE CART HAD BEEN BLOWN INTO THE PROP FROM BEHIND THE ACFT. ANOTHER ACFT WAS TURNING OUT AS WE WERE TAXIING IN AND APPARENTLY WAS THE IMPETUS IN PROPELLING THE BAGGAGE CART TOWARD US. EITHER THE BRAKE WASN'T SET OR WAS WORN TO SUCH AN EXTENT AS TO BE INEFFECTIVE. WITH ALL THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AT THE MEMPHIS ARPT, THE ONLY SOLUTION I SEE TO THIS KIND OF ACCIDENT IS INCREASED VIGILANCE IN THE AREA OF GND EQUIP MAINT AND PLACEMENT.

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.