Cessna 208B N617ST accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to properly calculate the airplane's weight and balance and center of gravity, which resulted in the tail striking the ground.

NTSB analysis

The commercial pilot was conducting a cross-country business flight. He landed the airplane and then taxied to the ramp. The pilot instructed the passengers to remain seated and then deplaned to attach the tailstand, at which point the airplane tipped back and struck the pavement with its tail. The pilot reboarded and instructed the passengers to leave their seats and move forward, and the airplane righted itself. The forward bulkhead for the horizontal stabilizer attachment point was crushed and torn, and three stringers, another bulkhead, and the lower skin were damaged in the accident. The center of gravity (CG) was calculated postaccident based on the available weight and balance data, and it was aft of the CG limit. It is likely that the pilot did not properly calculate the airplane's weight and balance and CG, which resulted in the airplane tipping backward as the pilot attempted to attach the tailstand.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN16LA089 for the full record.