Narrative:

While we were taxiing on taxiway G we noticed that there was equipment on the right side (east) of the taxiway on the shoulder. The first officer had just finished the taxi check and had begun his takeoff briefing. My nose wheel was on the centerline of the taxiway. We were taxiing at a slower than normal speed. The equipment was moving towards the aircraft at an angle. I noticed that the driver of the equipment was looking down towards the ground leaning out the west side of the equipment. The first officer checked out his right window to check the distance between the aircraft and the equipment, we both agreed that we had clearance to clear the equipment. As we passed it I turned the aircraft slightly away from the equipment to ensure extra room. We taxied up to the runway and held short. When we were cleared into position on the runway, the tower informed me that the aircraft's right wing had come in contact with the equipment. We cleared the runway and taxied back to the gate where we had the wing inspected by the maintenance. One factor that contributed to the situation is that there was construction going on at the edge of the active taxiway. I believe that the situation occurred because of the lack of communication between the airlines, ground control and the construction workers on the airport grounds. I would suggest that when work is being performed near an active taxiway that a signal man be placed near the work to keep conflicts from occurring. In addition, the barricades should be positioned so as to divert taxi movement away from the construction area. Ultimately I realize it is my responsibility to exercise the caution necessary. I should have had the first officer open up and look out the window to ensure there was adequate clearance. Supplemental information from acn 163155. A lens cover on the left wing tip was found to be broken. I also could have stopped the checklist, opened the window and watched the area until the aircraft was by the equipment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAXIING ACFT STRIKES EQUIPMENT WITH WING TIP CAUSING DAMAGE.

Narrative: WHILE WE WERE TAXIING ON TXWY G WE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS EQUIP ON THE R SIDE (E) OF THE TXWY ON THE SHOULDER. THE F/O HAD JUST FINISHED THE TAXI CHK AND HAD BEGUN HIS TKOF BRIEFING. MY NOSE WHEEL WAS ON THE CTRLINE OF THE TXWY. WE WERE TAXIING AT A SLOWER THAN NORMAL SPD. THE EQUIP WAS MOVING TOWARDS THE ACFT AT AN ANGLE. I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER OF THE EQUIP WAS LOOKING DOWN TOWARDS THE GND LEANING OUT THE W SIDE OF THE EQUIP. THE F/O CHKED OUT HIS R WINDOW TO CHK THE DISTANCE BTWN THE ACFT AND THE EQUIP, WE BOTH AGREED THAT WE HAD CLRNC TO CLR THE EQUIP. AS WE PASSED IT I TURNED THE ACFT SLIGHTLY AWAY FROM THE EQUIP TO ENSURE EXTRA ROOM. WE TAXIED UP TO THE RWY AND HELD SHORT. WHEN WE WERE CLRED INTO POS ON THE RWY, THE TWR INFORMED ME THAT THE ACFT'S R WING HAD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE EQUIP. WE CLRED THE RWY AND TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE WHERE WE HAD THE WING INSPECTED BY THE MAINT. ONE FACTOR THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE SITUATION IS THAT THERE WAS CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AT THE EDGE OF THE ACTIVE TXWY. I BELIEVE THAT THE SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF COM BTWN THE AIRLINES, GND CTL AND THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ON THE ARPT GNDS. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WHEN WORK IS BEING PERFORMED NEAR AN ACTIVE TXWY THAT A SIGNAL MAN BE PLACED NEAR THE WORK TO KEEP CONFLICTS FROM OCCURRING. IN ADDITION, THE BARRICADES SHOULD BE POSITIONED SO AS TO DIVERT TAXI MOVEMENT AWAY FROM THE CONSTRUCTION AREA. ULTIMATELY I REALIZE IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO EXERCISE THE CAUTION NECESSARY. I SHOULD HAVE HAD THE F/O OPEN UP AND LOOK OUT THE WINDOW TO ENSURE THERE WAS ADEQUATE CLRNC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 163155. A LENS COVER ON THE L WING TIP WAS FOUND TO BE BROKEN. I ALSO COULD HAVE STOPPED THE CHKLIST, OPENED THE WINDOW AND WATCHED THE AREA UNTIL THE ACFT WAS BY THE EQUIP.

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.