Narrative:

We pushed back from the gate on-time in clear daylight WX. Pushback and engine start was normal. Aircraft on the gate to our right also pushed and ended up directly in front of us. We were instructed to taxi for takeoff and to follow another aircraft that was taxiing past us on our right. Due to the close proximity of the aircraft pushed in front of us a right turn of approximately 40-45 degrees was required. On turnout to follow this taxiing aircraft, under the guidance of our ground marshaller, the left end of our horizontal stabilizer struck the right end of a large transport's horizontal stabilizer that was parked on a gate that was to the left and behind us. The problem arose due to the pushback being too far back with our tail ending up behind the other large transport's tail. It was further complicated by the requirement to make a turn instead of being able to taxi straight ahead. Note: this is a common and normal procedure that is done often daily at this situation. Corrective action: require that the ground marshaller be required to ensure that each aircraft has tail clearance prior to taxi clearance being given to the cockpit and to reinform ground handlers that the tail of an large transport 'grows' in a turn, requiring more clearance than the nose or wings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAIL OF LGT STRUCK TAIL OF A PARKED LGT AS THEY DEPARTED THE GATE.

Narrative: WE PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE ON-TIME IN CLR DAYLIGHT WX. PUSHBACK AND ENG START WAS NORMAL. ACFT ON THE GATE TO OUR RIGHT ALSO PUSHED AND ENDED UP DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI FOR TKOF AND TO FOLLOW ANOTHER ACFT THAT WAS TAXIING PAST US ON OUR RIGHT. DUE TO THE CLOSE PROX OF THE ACFT PUSHED IN FRONT OF US A RIGHT TURN OF APPROX 40-45 DEGS WAS REQUIRED. ON TURNOUT TO FOLLOW THIS TAXIING ACFT, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF OUR GND MARSHALLER, THE LEFT END OF OUR HORIZ STABILIZER STRUCK THE RIGHT END OF A LGT'S HORIZ STABILIZER THAT WAS PARKED ON A GATE THAT WAS TO THE LEFT AND BEHIND US. THE PROB AROSE DUE TO THE PUSHBACK BEING TOO FAR BACK WITH OUR TAIL ENDING UP BEHIND THE OTHER LGT'S TAIL. IT WAS FURTHER COMPLICATED BY THE REQUIREMENT TO MAKE A TURN INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO TAXI STRAIGHT AHEAD. NOTE: THIS IS A COMMON AND NORMAL PROC THAT IS DONE OFTEN DAILY AT THIS SITUATION. CORRECTIVE ACTION: REQUIRE THAT THE GND MARSHALLER BE REQUIRED TO ENSURE THAT EACH ACFT HAS TAIL CLRNC PRIOR TO TAXI CLRNC BEING GIVEN TO THE COCKPIT AND TO REINFORM GND HANDLERS THAT THE TAIL OF AN LGT 'GROWS' IN A TURN, REQUIRING MORE CLRNC THAN THE NOSE OR WINGS.

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