Probable cause
The flightcrew's inadequate preflight inspection, resulting in in-flight structural damage to the airplane's fuselage from an unsecured pallet jack that was located in the airplane's empty cargo hold.
NTSB analysis
The cargo airplane departed on a positioning flight with an unsecured pallet jack in the empty cargo hold. During the flight, the pallet jack moved and damaged a fuselage structural frame. The flightcrew reported that they both looked in the cargo hold prior to the flight, but did not check the security of the pallet jack.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC11LA022 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Mar 30, 2011
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Dayton, Ohio
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Boeing 737-301
- N-number
- N360WA
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Positioning
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.