Narrative:

As we exited the ramp at dfw on taxiway 23S, I observed a bus which I thought was too close to the taxi centerline. I moved the aircraft to the left until my first officer told me we were clear of the bus, then started back for the taxiway centerline, at which time the right wing struck the bus. I believe the scratched and bad surface of the windows can create an illusion or give an incorrect idea of clearance. Supplemental information from acn 113073: we were taxiing out of the ramp as assigned by ramp control on taxiway 23S. There was a bus parked to the right of the taxiway waiting to deplane passenger from another aircraft. We discussed the position of the bus and determined that we would not have wingtip clearance (the bus was improperly parked). The captain turned left to maneuver around the bus. There was plenty of room to the left but the captain was hesitant about moving too far to the left into the adjacent taxiway. I was watching the right wingtip and the bus and I advised the captain that we were clear. At this point I looked down to change to ground frequency and he began turning back toward 23S centerline. I looked back out the window and saw the wing about to strike the bus. I called for the captain to stop but it was too late and we struck the bus. Corrective actions (we could have taken, and will next time): 1) stop the airplane. Have the bus moved. 2) get clearance to move over to gate X or gate Y from ramp control. 3) get a wing walker to clear the wing. 4) open my window and stick my head out to get a better view.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT WINGTIP STRIKES BUS ON TAXI OUT, ACFT ON COMPANY RAMP FREQ.

Narrative: AS WE EXITED THE RAMP AT DFW ON TXWY 23S, I OBSERVED A BUS WHICH I THOUGHT WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE TAXI CENTERLINE. I MOVED THE ACFT TO THE LEFT UNTIL MY F/O TOLD ME WE WERE CLEAR OF THE BUS, THEN STARTED BACK FOR THE TXWY CENTERLINE, AT WHICH TIME THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE BUS. I BELIEVE THE SCRATCHED AND BAD SURFACE OF THE WINDOWS CAN CREATE AN ILLUSION OR GIVE AN INCORRECT IDEA OF CLRNC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 113073: WE WERE TAXIING OUT OF THE RAMP AS ASSIGNED BY RAMP CTL ON TXWY 23S. THERE WAS A BUS PARKED TO THE RIGHT OF THE TXWY WAITING TO DEPLANE PAX FROM ANOTHER ACFT. WE DISCUSSED THE POSITION OF THE BUS AND DETERMINED THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE WINGTIP CLRNC (THE BUS WAS IMPROPERLY PARKED). THE CAPT TURNED LEFT TO MANEUVER AROUND THE BUS. THERE WAS PLENTY OF ROOM TO THE LEFT BUT THE CAPT WAS HESITANT ABOUT MOVING TOO FAR TO THE LEFT INTO THE ADJACENT TXWY. I WAS WATCHING THE RIGHT WINGTIP AND THE BUS AND I ADVISED THE CAPT THAT WE WERE CLEAR. AT THIS POINT I LOOKED DOWN TO CHANGE TO GND FREQ AND HE BEGAN TURNING BACK TOWARD 23S CENTERLINE. I LOOKED BACK OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW THE WING ABOUT TO STRIKE THE BUS. I CALLED FOR THE CAPT TO STOP BUT IT WAS TOO LATE AND WE STRUCK THE BUS. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS (WE COULD HAVE TAKEN, AND WILL NEXT TIME): 1) STOP THE AIRPLANE. HAVE THE BUS MOVED. 2) GET CLRNC TO MOVE OVER TO GATE X OR GATE Y FROM RAMP CONTROL. 3) GET A WING WALKER TO CLEAR THE WING. 4) OPEN MY WINDOW AND STICK MY HEAD OUT TO GET A BETTER VIEW.

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.