Narrative:

Taxi out from gate xa ewr. After starting all 3 engines we got clearance from ground control to taxi to runway 22R via outer and taxiway right. Captain and I discussed entering at taxiway RA. There was a difference on the 10-9 page versus the signs we observed. We had taxied about 15 seconds when I felt some bumps and commented to the crew. The captain said that the surface was very rough. I had looked out to the right and didn't observe anything. We continued on a normal flight landing at den. After parking we were informed that the #8 leading edge device was damaged. If the signs at ewr had been not so confusing, we wouldn't have been distracted during initial taxi. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the captain had just returned to flight status after being off 1 yr. First officer was trying to help guide him out of a tight taxi area using the airport diagram chart, 10-9. Page 10-7A states to exit ramp at RA and that was the instruction also from ground control. From their location on the inside of the terminal and RA being some 300 ft away, but with a stub of the inner taxiway in their vicinity, they became confused on where to go. Consequently, the first officer had her head down looking at the chart and apparently the captain deviated off the taxiway centerline, the aircraft struck a baggage cart which was parked to the right side and the resulting bump alerted the crew. But, when looking out the right side the first officer saw some carts, but they were not too close. However, they must have already passed the one that was hit and resulted in damage to the right #8 leading edge device.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAXI CONFUSION. WING HIT BAGGAGE CART.

Narrative: TAXI OUT FROM GATE XA EWR. AFTER STARTING ALL 3 ENGS WE GOT CLRNC FROM GND CTL TO TAXI TO RWY 22R VIA OUTER AND TXWY R. CAPT AND I DISCUSSED ENTERING AT TXWY RA. THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE ON THE 10-9 PAGE VERSUS THE SIGNS WE OBSERVED. WE HAD TAXIED ABOUT 15 SECONDS WHEN I FELT SOME BUMPS AND COMMENTED TO THE CREW. THE CAPT SAID THAT THE SURFACE WAS VERY ROUGH. I HAD LOOKED OUT TO THE R AND DIDN'T OBSERVE ANYTHING. WE CONTINUED ON A NORMAL FLT LNDG AT DEN. AFTER PARKING WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE #8 LEADING EDGE DEVICE WAS DAMAGED. IF THE SIGNS AT EWR HAD BEEN NOT SO CONFUSING, WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED DURING INITIAL TAXI. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CAPT HAD JUST RETURNED TO FLT STATUS AFTER BEING OFF 1 YR. FO WAS TRYING TO HELP GUIDE HIM OUT OF A TIGHT TAXI AREA USING THE ARPT DIAGRAM CHART, 10-9. PAGE 10-7A STATES TO EXIT RAMP AT RA AND THAT WAS THE INSTRUCTION ALSO FROM GND CTL. FROM THEIR LOCATION ON THE INSIDE OF THE TERMINAL AND RA BEING SOME 300 FT AWAY, BUT WITH A STUB OF THE INNER TXWY IN THEIR VICINITY, THEY BECAME CONFUSED ON WHERE TO GO. CONSEQUENTLY, THE FO HAD HER HEAD DOWN LOOKING AT THE CHART AND APPARENTLY THE CAPT DEVIATED OFF THE TXWY CTRLINE, THE ACFT STRUCK A BAGGAGE CART WHICH WAS PARKED TO THE R SIDE AND THE RESULTING BUMP ALERTED THE CREW. BUT, WHEN LOOKING OUT THE R SIDE THE FO SAW SOME CARTS, BUT THEY WERE NOT TOO CLOSE. HOWEVER, THEY MUST HAVE ALREADY PASSED THE ONE THAT WAS HIT AND RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE R #8 LEADING EDGE DEVICE.

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.