Wing tip strike. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	205316
Time
Date	199203
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	205316
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

While being marshalled out of gate at lga I felt a slight bump. I stopped the airplane and looked around, especially at the left wing tip as I knew we were parked rather tight. The marshall gave me a thumbs up and continued to give me movement signals. By virtue of the marshall giving us a clear signal my thought was we had gone over a chock or expansion joint. We were waved off and continued the taxi and flight with no consequence. Upon doing post-flight inspection at portland, me, observed damage to left aileron tip. My assumption was that the wing had struck the jet way while pulling out. The mistake I probably made was depending on the marshalls check of the airplane. A contributing factor I feel is many of the ramp personnel I have contact with have a min of training. Ramp operations can be quite hazardous. Before the airline assigns people to this responsibility they should make sure they know what they're doing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WING TIP STRIKE.

Narrative: WHILE BEING MARSHALLED OUT OF GATE AT LGA I FELT A SLIGHT BUMP. I STOPPED THE AIRPLANE AND LOOKED AROUND, ESPECIALLY AT THE L WING TIP AS I KNEW WE WERE PARKED RATHER TIGHT. THE MARSHALL GAVE ME A THUMBS UP AND CONTINUED TO GIVE ME MOVEMENT SIGNALS. BY VIRTUE OF THE MARSHALL GIVING US A CLR SIGNAL MY THOUGHT WAS WE HAD GONE OVER A CHOCK OR EXPANSION JOINT. WE WERE WAVED OFF AND CONTINUED THE TAXI AND FLT WITH NO CONSEQUENCE. UPON DOING POST-FLT INSPECTION AT PORTLAND, ME, OBSERVED DAMAGE TO L AILERON TIP. MY ASSUMPTION WAS THAT THE WING HAD STRUCK THE JET WAY WHILE PULLING OUT. THE MISTAKE I PROBABLY MADE WAS DEPENDING ON THE MARSHALLS CHK OF THE AIRPLANE. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR I FEEL IS MANY OF THE RAMP PERSONNEL I HAVE CONTACT WITH HAVE A MIN OF TRAINING. RAMP OPS CAN BE QUITE HAZARDOUS. BEFORE THE AIRLINE ASSIGNS PEOPLE TO THIS RESPONSIBILITY THEY SHOULD MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

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.