A C208 caravan pilot attempts a power back taxi operation and incurs a propeller strike on boarding ladder when he feels that the ramp area is too tight for a normal taxi out at sfz, ri.

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Attributes
ACN	478388
Time
Date	200007
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfz.airport
State Reference	RI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mem.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Caravan 1 208A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : power back
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1250 flight time type : 135
ASRS Report	478388
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : +
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical ground encounters : fod ground encounters other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Airport Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

My caravan was parked so that the only way to taxi out normally would be to make a right turn while moving forward. After skydivers were loaded and the engine was started, another airplane pulled up to my right, and I didn't think I could make the right turnout without hitting the other airplane. I decided to use reverse thrust to back the airplane up, so I could taxi out. I hadn't realized that the skydivers had left a small metal ladder by the cargo door. The airplane backed into the ladder and it struck the propeller. There were small nicks in 2 of the blades and the third was bent slightly at the tip. The damage was not significant enough to report as an accident. I shut down the engine and the propeller needed repair. I was too busy making sure I wasn't going to hit another airplane while backing. I should have looked down to assure propeller clearance. In the future, everything should be removed from the ramp and use of reverse should be avoided as much as possible.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C208 CARAVAN PLT ATTEMPTS A PWR BACK TAXI OP AND INCURS A PROP STRIKE ON BOARDING LADDER WHEN HE FEELS THAT THE RAMP AREA IS TOO TIGHT FOR A NORMAL TAXI OUT AT SFZ, RI.

Narrative: MY CARAVAN WAS PARKED SO THAT THE ONLY WAY TO TAXI OUT NORMALLY WOULD BE TO MAKE A R TURN WHILE MOVING FORWARD. AFTER SKYDIVERS WERE LOADED AND THE ENG WAS STARTED, ANOTHER AIRPLANE PULLED UP TO MY R, AND I DIDN'T THINK I COULD MAKE THE R TURNOUT WITHOUT HITTING THE OTHER AIRPLANE. I DECIDED TO USE REVERSE THRUST TO BACK THE AIRPLANE UP, SO I COULD TAXI OUT. I HADN'T REALIZED THAT THE SKYDIVERS HAD LEFT A SMALL METAL LADDER BY THE CARGO DOOR. THE AIRPLANE BACKED INTO THE LADDER AND IT STRUCK THE PROP. THERE WERE SMALL NICKS IN 2 OF THE BLADES AND THE THIRD WAS BENT SLIGHTLY AT THE TIP. THE DAMAGE WAS NOT SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO RPT AS AN ACCIDENT. I SHUT DOWN THE ENG AND THE PROP NEEDED REPAIR. I WAS TOO BUSY MAKING SURE I WASN'T GOING TO HIT ANOTHER AIRPLANE WHILE BACKING. I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED DOWN TO ASSURE PROP CLRNC. IN THE FUTURE, EVERYTHING SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RAMP AND USE OF REVERSE SHOULD BE AVOIDED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

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.