Narrative:

As we taxied out of gate south, flight operating stl-evv, we were being marshalled out by 1 ramp agent with 1 mechanic observing our left wing. As we were taxiing outbound our path took us between a row of aircraft on our left and a row of aircraft on our right. There was also a fuel truck preparing to fuel 1 of the aircraft on our right. The distance between our right wing and the fuel truck could not be distinctly observed from my first officer's seat. The captain asked me how it looked and I replied close. At this point our marshall with the wands came over to our right wing area and signalled that we had clearance. As we slowly crept forward he signalled the stop sign which we did. Our trailing edge of our wing tip came in contact with the fuel truck. Factors contributing to this incident: lack of gate space. Our company has too many airplanes too close together. In the few months we have been operating this increased number of flts out of the concourse we have had other taxi incidents. Reliance upon our ground guiders. In the congested space in which we operate minimal separation between aircraft, ground power units and vehicles exists. Over time we have started to accept this lack of space and proceed to taxi provided we have a ground guide on each wing indicating we are clear of all obstructions. Supplemental information from acn 187449: the ramp agent saw the right wing tip getting close to a parked fuel truck. He left to get a better look. He was 5 ft from wing tip and said continue looking at wing tip. Right wing tip then hit the little ladder on the fuel truck.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GUIDED BY MARSHALLER COMMUTER ACFT WING TIP HITS FUEL TRUCK.

Narrative: AS WE TAXIED OUT OF GATE S, FLT OPERATING STL-EVV, WE WERE BEING MARSHALLED OUT BY 1 RAMP AGENT WITH 1 MECH OBSERVING OUR L WING. AS WE WERE TAXIING OUTBOUND OUR PATH TOOK US BTWN A ROW OF ACFT ON OUR L AND A ROW OF ACFT ON OUR R. THERE WAS ALSO A FUEL TRUCK PREPARING TO FUEL 1 OF THE ACFT ON OUR R. THE DISTANCE BTWN OUR R WING AND THE FUEL TRUCK COULD NOT BE DISTINCTLY OBSERVED FROM MY FO'S SEAT. THE CAPT ASKED ME HOW IT LOOKED AND I REPLIED CLOSE. AT THIS POINT OUR MARSHALL WITH THE WANDS CAME OVER TO OUR R WING AREA AND SIGNALLED THAT WE HAD CLRNC. AS WE SLOWLY CREPT FORWARD HE SIGNALLED THE STOP SIGN WHICH WE DID. OUR TRAILING EDGE OF OUR WING TIP CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE FUEL TRUCK. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT: LACK OF GATE SPACE. OUR COMPANY HAS TOO MANY AIRPLANES TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. IN THE FEW MONTHS WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING THIS INCREASED NUMBER OF FLTS OUT OF THE CONCOURSE WE HAVE HAD OTHER TAXI INCIDENTS. RELIANCE UPON OUR GND GUIDERS. IN THE CONGESTED SPACE IN WHICH WE OPERATE MINIMAL SEPARATION BTWN ACFT, GND PWR UNITS AND VEHICLES EXISTS. OVER TIME WE HAVE STARTED TO ACCEPT THIS LACK OF SPACE AND PROCEED TO TAXI PROVIDED WE HAVE A GND GUIDE ON EACH WING INDICATING WE ARE CLR OF ALL OBSTRUCTIONS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 187449: THE RAMP AGENT SAW THE R WING TIP GETTING CLOSE TO A PARKED FUEL TRUCK. HE LEFT TO GET A BETTER LOOK. HE WAS 5 FT FROM WING TIP AND SAID CONTINUE LOOKING AT WING TIP. R WING TIP THEN HIT THE LITTLE LADDER ON THE FUEL TRUCK.

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.