Narrative:

I was taxiing to park at spot a at jfk ramp (ramp diagram is attached). There were acfts already parked in spots B and C. There were 2 ramp agents, 1 on the right and 1 on the left of center, directing us. While in the right turn agent left of center stopped us and backed us because of light pole. (There is a light pole, portable type by the right wing when aircraft is at spot a). He then redirected us to make right turn. Before I proceeded I pointed to the agent to watch for left wing tip because I couldn't judge how close we were to light pole from my vantage point. The agent directed us on at that time. Left wing tip touched light pole. I stopped immediately. I asked first officer to call company and ask for another wingman. In the meantime agent wanted us to continue right turn knowing we had hit the wing tip. We moved only after light pole was pushed back and wingman arrived on left side. Damage to aircraft's fiberglass wing tip fairing was minimal. Aircraft was flown to our maintenance base on ferry permit and it was projected to be operational the next day. I would like to suggest following to prevent this from happening again. Paint lead in taxi lines for every spot. No parking in spot a if there is aircraft in spot B. Train new agents to be more precise and proficient.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT HIT LIGHT POLE WITH L WING TIP TAXIING TO THE GATE UNDER GND SIGNAL MAN'S CTL.

Narrative: I WAS TAXIING TO PARK AT SPOT A AT JFK RAMP (RAMP DIAGRAM IS ATTACHED). THERE WERE ACFTS ALREADY PARKED IN SPOTS B AND C. THERE WERE 2 RAMP AGENTS, 1 ON THE R AND 1 ON THE L OF CENTER, DIRECTING US. WHILE IN THE R TURN AGENT L OF CENTER STOPPED US AND BACKED US BECAUSE OF LIGHT POLE. (THERE IS A LIGHT POLE, PORTABLE TYPE BY THE R WING WHEN ACFT IS AT SPOT A). HE THEN REDIRECTED US TO MAKE R TURN. BEFORE I PROCEEDED I POINTED TO THE AGENT TO WATCH FOR L WING TIP BECAUSE I COULDN'T JUDGE HOW CLOSE WE WERE TO LIGHT POLE FROM MY VANTAGE POINT. THE AGENT DIRECTED US ON AT THAT TIME. L WING TIP TOUCHED LIGHT POLE. I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. I ASKED FO TO CALL COMPANY AND ASK FOR ANOTHER WINGMAN. IN THE MEANTIME AGENT WANTED US TO CONTINUE R TURN KNOWING WE HAD HIT THE WING TIP. WE MOVED ONLY AFTER LIGHT POLE WAS PUSHED BACK AND WINGMAN ARRIVED ON L SIDE. DAMAGE TO ACFT'S FIBERGLASS WING TIP FAIRING WAS MINIMAL. ACFT WAS FLOWN TO OUR MAINT BASE ON FERRY PERMIT AND IT WAS PROJECTED TO BE OPERATIONAL THE NEXT DAY. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST FOLLOWING TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. PAINT LEAD IN TAXI LINES FOR EVERY SPOT. NO PARKING IN SPOT A IF THERE IS ACFT IN SPOT B. TRAIN NEW AGENTS TO BE MORE PRECISE AND PROFICIENT.

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.