Struck tail of parked small transport while taxiing in restricted area.

Attributes
ACN	102783
Time
Date	198901
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hpn
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 2250
ASRS Report	102783
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	103053
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At XA30 we landed at mdw and were instructed to turn left at the highspeed taxiway and taxi to the ramp. No further instructions were given. Since mdw is not one of our stations we don't have ground crew there and are forced to taxi to our parking area through a congested GA ramp without ground marshalls. As we taxied the left wingtip hit vertical stabilizer of an small transport causing minor damage. I was not aware of the incident until the captain informed me after the aircraft had been parked. The captain was not sure if he had hit the small transport until he walked across the ramp to the aircraft. He later told me, 'it looked close,' but he couldn't tell. The only damage done to our aircraft was a broken navigation light. We, as well as the company, know how congested the area is that we have to taxi through to get to our ramp, yet we never have ground marshalls. We informed the company that the small transport owner, our company and the FAA were also notified. Supplemental information from acn 103053: the incident could have been avoided had I used another taxiway around the congested area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STRUCK TAIL OF PARKED SMT WHILE TAXIING IN RESTRICTED AREA.

Narrative: AT XA30 WE LANDED AT MDW AND WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN LEFT AT THE HIGHSPEED TXWY AND TAXI TO THE RAMP. NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN. SINCE MDW IS NOT ONE OF OUR STATIONS WE DON'T HAVE GND CREW THERE AND ARE FORCED TO TAXI TO OUR PARKING AREA THROUGH A CONGESTED GA RAMP WITHOUT GND MARSHALLS. AS WE TAXIED THE LEFT WINGTIP HIT VERT STABILIZER OF AN SMT CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE INCIDENT UNTIL THE CAPT INFORMED ME AFTER THE ACFT HAD BEEN PARKED. THE CAPT WAS NOT SURE IF HE HAD HIT THE SMT UNTIL HE WALKED ACROSS THE RAMP TO THE ACFT. HE LATER TOLD ME, 'IT LOOKED CLOSE,' BUT HE COULDN'T TELL. THE ONLY DAMAGE DONE TO OUR ACFT WAS A BROKEN NAV LIGHT. WE, AS WELL AS THE COMPANY, KNOW HOW CONGESTED THE AREA IS THAT WE HAVE TO TAXI THROUGH TO GET TO OUR RAMP, YET WE NEVER HAVE GND MARSHALLS. WE INFORMED THE COMPANY THAT THE SMT OWNER, OUR COMPANY AND THE FAA WERE ALSO NOTIFIED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 103053: THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD I USED ANOTHER TXWY AROUND THE CONGESTED AREA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.