Narrative:

While taxiing for takeoff on runway 08R in atl, our B737 was cleared to taxi on taxiway H and hold short of taxiway east. An L1011 being towed wbound on taxiway F was stopped by ground control so we could pass in front. We stopped on taxiway H, short of taxiway east, leaving room for an eastbound B757 on taxiway east at our 10 O'clock position to taxi past if necessary. While holding short of taxiway east, with our parking brake set, the right horizontal stabilizer of our B737 was struck by the right wingtip of the L1011, which had continued its tow. The right horizontal stabilizer, elevator, and elevator tab of our B737 were damaged by the impact. We advised ground control of our situation and returned to the gate for maintenance. Certainly, better procedures on the part of the towing crew could have prevented this accident. This includes the inclusion of more people with the tow tug to insure proper clrncs. A better cockpit awareness that a large aircraft was being towed behind us while we were stopped on a short taxiway might have helped us alert the tug driver, or at least ground control, that a potential conflict existed. Perhaps ground control procedures should have prevented an aircraft being held on taxiway H while a heavy aircraft was being towed or taxied down taxiway F.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT UNDER TOW HIT PARKED ACFT WITH DAMAGE TO HORIZ STABILIZER, ELEVATOR, AND ELEVATOR TAB.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING FOR TKOF ON RWY 08R IN ATL, OUR B737 WAS CLRED TO TAXI ON TXWY H AND HOLD SHORT OF TXWY E. AN L1011 BEING TOWED WBOUND ON TXWY F WAS STOPPED BY GND CTL SO WE COULD PASS IN FRONT. WE STOPPED ON TXWY H, SHORT OF TXWY E, LEAVING ROOM FOR AN EBOUND B757 ON TXWY E AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS TO TAXI PAST IF NECESSARY. WHILE HOLDING SHORT OF TXWY E, WITH OUR PARKING BRAKE SET, THE R HORIZ STABILIZER OF OUR B737 WAS STRUCK BY THE R WINGTIP OF THE L1011, WHICH HAD CONTINUED ITS TOW. THE R HORIZ STABILIZER, ELEVATOR, AND ELEVATOR TAB OF OUR B737 WERE DAMAGED BY THE IMPACT. WE ADVISED GND CTL OF OUR SIT AND RETURNED TO THE GATE FOR MAINT. CERTAINLY, BETTER PROCS ON THE PART OF THE TOWING CREW COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS ACCIDENT. THIS INCLUDES THE INCLUSION OF MORE PEOPLE WITH THE TOW TUG TO INSURE PROPER CLRNCS. A BETTER COCKPIT AWARENESS THAT A LARGE ACFT WAS BEING TOWED BEHIND US WHILE WE WERE STOPPED ON A SHORT TXWY MIGHT HAVE HELPED US ALERT THE TUG DRIVER, OR AT LEAST GND CTL, THAT A POTENTIAL CONFLICT EXISTED. PERHAPS GND CTL PROCS SHOULD HAVE PREVENTED AN ACFT BEING HELD ON TXWY H WHILE A HVY ACFT WAS BEING TOWED OR TAXIED DOWN TXWY F.

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.