Narrative:

We were following the yellow centerline into the ramp area. So was unable to make radio contact with yvr ramp till we were almost abeam gate. This is at the end of the new temporary concourse. The previous week we had used gate, which is located back in the north ramp area. I was taxiing slowly towards that area, looking for a marshaller to park us when radio contact was made with yvr company ramp. We were advised gate was to be ours but was occupied, and to wait for parked aircraft to push back. I did approximately 135 degrees left turn and paralleled. The ramp edge on the north side to give push aircraft off gate room to taxi. I taxied slowly wbound on the new concrete area and was just getting ready to turn left again to face gate when contact was made with a ramp light pole. Damage occurred to the leading edge approximately 4 ft in from right wingtip. The stop was sudden. Initially we were not sure what had happened until the first officer opened his sliding window and looked at the wing. The brakes were set and passenger were advised to remain seated. Operations was called via radio and emergency equipment was dispatched. After inspection by mechanics and fire personnel the aircraft was pushed back from the pole area and towed to the gate. Passenger were deplaned normally via the jetway. Thinking back, I thought I was in a totally safe area. Neither the first officer or myself ever saw the pole. I never asked if I was 'clear right,' which I do, if we are close to known obstruction on the right side. Contributing factors: there is no ramp control. There was no company communications until in close to gate area. There is no concrete edge marking. There is no pole marking. Apparently the concrete apron we were taxiing on is all new. However the light poles were not set back. Corrective action: this incident could very easily happen again unless some form of ramp marking, pole marking, or pole setback occurs. Even a piece of ground support equipment parked next to these poles would have eliminated this problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF LGT STRUCK LIGHT POLE WITH WING DURING TAXI TO PARKING RESULTING IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE WING LEADING EDGE.

Narrative: WE WERE FOLLOWING THE YELLOW CTRLINE INTO THE RAMP AREA. SO WAS UNABLE TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT WITH YVR RAMP TILL WE WERE ALMOST ABEAM GATE. THIS IS AT THE END OF THE NEW TEMPORARY CONCOURSE. THE PREVIOUS WK WE HAD USED GATE, WHICH IS LOCATED BACK IN THE N RAMP AREA. I WAS TAXIING SLOWLY TOWARDS THAT AREA, LOOKING FOR A MARSHALLER TO PARK US WHEN RADIO CONTACT WAS MADE WITH YVR COMPANY RAMP. WE WERE ADVISED GATE WAS TO BE OURS BUT WAS OCCUPIED, AND TO WAIT FOR PARKED ACFT TO PUSH BACK. I DID APPROX 135 DEGS L TURN AND PARALLELED. THE RAMP EDGE ON THE N SIDE TO GIVE PUSH ACFT OFF GATE ROOM TO TAXI. I TAXIED SLOWLY WBOUND ON THE NEW CONCRETE AREA AND WAS JUST GETTING READY TO TURN L AGAIN TO FACE GATE WHEN CONTACT WAS MADE WITH A RAMP LIGHT POLE. DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE LEADING EDGE APPROX 4 FT IN FROM R WINGTIP. THE STOP WAS SUDDEN. INITIALLY WE WERE NOT SURE WHAT HAD HAPPENED UNTIL THE FO OPENED HIS SLIDING WINDOW AND LOOKED AT THE WING. THE BRAKES WERE SET AND PAX WERE ADVISED TO REMAIN SEATED. OPS WAS CALLED VIA RADIO AND EMER EQUIP WAS DISPATCHED. AFTER INSPECTION BY MECHS AND FIRE PERSONNEL THE ACFT WAS PUSHED BACK FROM THE POLE AREA AND TOWED TO THE GATE. PAX WERE DEPLANED NORMALLY VIA THE JETWAY. THINKING BACK, I THOUGHT I WAS IN A TOTALLY SAFE AREA. NEITHER THE FO OR MYSELF EVER SAW THE POLE. I NEVER ASKED IF I WAS 'CLR R,' WHICH I DO, IF WE ARE CLOSE TO KNOWN OBSTRUCTION ON THE R SIDE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THERE IS NO RAMP CTL. THERE WAS NO COMPANY COMS UNTIL IN CLOSE TO GATE AREA. THERE IS NO CONCRETE EDGE MARKING. THERE IS NO POLE MARKING. APPARENTLY THE CONCRETE APRON WE WERE TAXIING ON IS ALL NEW. HOWEVER THE LIGHT POLES WERE NOT SET BACK. CORRECTIVE ACTION: THIS INCIDENT COULD VERY EASILY HAPPEN AGAIN UNLESS SOME FORM OF RAMP MARKING, POLE MARKING, OR POLE SETBACK OCCURS. EVEN A PIECE OF GND SUPPORT EQUIP PARKED NEXT TO THESE POLES WOULD HAVE ELIMINATED THIS PROB.

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.