Signalman guided pilot to allow wing to strike a light pole.

Attributes
ACN	288934
Time
Date	199411
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : yvr
State Reference	BC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	288934
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 22500 flight time type : 5400
ASRS Report	289150
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Vancouver, back course. After landing runway 08 I was directed to park aircraft on airport north apron position N5. Flagman would meet us on entering apron area. Following flagman's van signals to north edge of apron to position aircraft for turn to face south. During the turn from east to south (about 45 degree through turn) wing contacted lighting fixture of ramp. #2 slat area substructure was damaged. Signals from flagman were followed exactly during this maneuver. Crew of cockpit cannot see the wing of aircraft. Later viewing of the ramp (apron) area, showed no taxi marking parallel to north edge of apron to provide wing clearance from any abject mounted on the edge of the apron. I believe that these lighting support structures should be positioned well clear of apron edge to accommodate the sweep of a wing like a 747/320/340. Pilots without taxi markings are at the mercy of the flagman.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIGNALMAN GUIDED PLT TO ALLOW WING TO STRIKE A LIGHT POLE.

Narrative: VANCOUVER, BC. AFTER LNDG RWY 08 I WAS DIRECTED TO PARK ACFT ON ARPT N APRON POS N5. FLAGMAN WOULD MEET US ON ENTERING APRON AREA. FOLLOWING FLAGMAN'S VAN SIGNALS TO N EDGE OF APRON TO POS ACFT FOR TURN TO FACE S. DURING THE TURN FROM E TO S (ABOUT 45 DEG THROUGH TURN) WING CONTACTED LIGHTING FIXTURE OF RAMP. #2 SLAT AREA SUBSTRUCTURE WAS DAMAGED. SIGNALS FROM FLAGMAN WERE FOLLOWED EXACTLY DURING THIS MANEUVER. CREW OF COCKPIT CANNOT SEE THE WING OF ACFT. LATER VIEWING OF THE RAMP (APRON) AREA, SHOWED NO TAXI MARKING PARALLEL TO N EDGE OF APRON TO PROVIDE WING CLRNC FROM ANY ABJECT MOUNTED ON THE EDGE OF THE APRON. I BELIEVE THAT THESE LIGHTING SUPPORT STRUCTURES SHOULD BE POSITIONED WELL CLR OF APRON EDGE TO ACCOMMODATE THE SWEEP OF A WING LIKE A 747/320/340. PLTS WITHOUT TAXI MARKINGS ARE AT THE MERCY OF THE FLAGMAN.

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.