What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Friday, June 3, 2016, at 06:00, sanjay akella (flight instructor) and chao yang (student) were attempting to complete a commercial pilot part 141 stage check. During the pre-flight the crew discovered a few maintenance discrepancies and elected to taxi the aircraft to the maintenance hanger.
The crew eventually decided on cancelling the flight due to the amount of time it took to fix the discrepancies.
At approximately 08:00, the instructor taxied the aircraft back to the ramp and stated that he saw a basket on the ramp. He said it appeared to be outside of the aircraft tie down area and decided to continue to the tie down location. As he proceeded, he lost sight of the basket but was under the impression he was clear of it. As he began to stop and complete the shut down checklist the right engine propeller struck the basket. The basket was filled with individual quarts of oil and barbell weights which are used for ballast.
As the FAA filed it
ON FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016, AT 06:00, SANJAY AKELLA (FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR) AND CHAO YANG (STUDENT) WERE ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE A COMMERCIAL PILOT PART 141 STAGE CHECK. DURING THE PRE-FLIGHT THE CREW DISCOVERED A FEW MAINTENANCE DISCREPANCIES AND ELECTED TO TAXI THE AIRCRAFT TO THE MAINTENANCE HANGER.
THE CREW EVENTUALLY DECIDED ON CANCELLING THE FLIGHT DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TOOK TO FIX THE DISCREPANCIES.
AT APPROXIMATELY 08:00, THE INSTRUCTOR TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO THE RAMP AND STATED THAT HE SAW A BASKET ON THE RAMP. HE SAID IT APPEARED TO BE OUTSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT TIE DOWN AREA AND DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO THE TIE DOWN LOCATION. AS HE PROCEEDED, HE LOST SIGHT OF THE BASKET BUT WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION HE WAS CLEAR OF IT. AS HE BEGAN TO STOP AND COMPLETE THE SHUT DOWN CHECKLIST THE RIGHT ENGINE PROPELLER STRUCK THE BASKET. THE BASKET WAS FILLED WITH INDIVIDUAL QUARTS OF OIL AND BARBELL WEIGHTS WHICH ARE USED FOR BALLAST.
Other reports on N355AB · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.