Instructor; with first time student; taxies into ladder used to check fuel.

Attributes
ACN	702906
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dpa.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	702906
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

This incident involved a C172 and a 2 step; collapsible ladder. A young man; on his first flight; was with me. I'm explaining the preflight; to him; and he was asking many questions. I checked the fuel in the left wing; using the ladder to get to the fuel cap; took the ladder around to the right wing and had him check the fuel in that tank; instructing him to make sure the fuel cap was secure. I continued the preflight; not personally assuring that the ladder had been removed. He must have moved it forward of the right wing and to the right; I did not see it. We strapped in; completed the checklist; started the engine; received taxi clearance; pulled out and to the right when contact was mae. My initial thought was that the right main gear had contacted something. I stopped; shut down the engine; got out and discovered the ladder pieces; on the ramp. I removed them; inspected the right main gear and the propeller and determined the aircraft safe to fly. The FAA met us on our return; 1 hour later. Moral: make absolutely certain area is clear of everything; before starting the engine and taxiing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR; WITH FIRST TIME STUDENT; TAXIES INTO LADDER USED TO CHK FUEL.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT INVOLVED A C172 AND A 2 STEP; COLLAPSIBLE LADDER. A YOUNG MAN; ON HIS FIRST FLT; WAS WITH ME. I'M EXPLAINING THE PREFLT; TO HIM; AND HE WAS ASKING MANY QUESTIONS. I CHKED THE FUEL IN THE L WING; USING THE LADDER TO GET TO THE FUEL CAP; TOOK THE LADDER AROUND TO THE R WING AND HAD HIM CHK THE FUEL IN THAT TANK; INSTRUCTING HIM TO MAKE SURE THE FUEL CAP WAS SECURE. I CONTINUED THE PREFLT; NOT PERSONALLY ASSURING THAT THE LADDER HAD BEEN REMOVED. HE MUST HAVE MOVED IT FORWARD OF THE R WING AND TO THE R; I DID NOT SEE IT. WE STRAPPED IN; COMPLETED THE CHKLIST; STARTED THE ENG; RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC; PULLED OUT AND TO THE R WHEN CONTACT WAS MAE. MY INITIAL THOUGHT WAS THAT THE R MAIN GEAR HAD CONTACTED SOMETHING. I STOPPED; SHUT DOWN THE ENG; GOT OUT AND DISCOVERED THE LADDER PIECES; ON THE RAMP. I REMOVED THEM; INSPECTED THE R MAIN GEAR AND THE PROP AND DETERMINED THE ACFT SAFE TO FLY. THE FAA MET US ON OUR RETURN; 1 HR LATER. MORAL: MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN AREA IS CLR OF EVERYTHING; BEFORE STARTING THE ENG AND TAXIING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.