Congested ramp, taxi with wing walkers and signalman, reporter aircraft hit a parked aircraft. Minim...

Attributes
ACN	339774
Time
Date	199606
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
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	Jetstream 41
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 6900 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	339774
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
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	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In a congested ramp at jfk I started engines and with 2 wing walkers and a signalman (3 ramp personnel total) I began taxiing slowly between 2 aircraft. The signalman gave me a straight ahead signal followed by turn left, then turn right. My first officer was watching his side and giving me instructions. The right wing struck the ventral fin of another BAE4101 when my first officer said 'stop, I think we hit!'. I stopped immediately and then the signalman gave me the 'stop' signal. I shut down engines and we deplaned the aircraft. Inspection revealed the static wick of my aircraft was knocked off and a very small dent was in the other aircraft. Both aircraft were checked by maintenance and released for service within the hour. I believe all of us were rushed to get the flight out on time and we let this factor override our good judgement. Also as it was a tight fit between 2 aircraft the signalman in front may have been confused (due to inexperience) from signals he was receiving from both wing walkers. We have since changed ramp procedures to keep this from happening again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONGESTED RAMP, TAXI WITH WING WALKERS AND SIGNALMAN, RPTR ACFT HIT A PARKED ACFT. MINIMAL DAMAGE.

Narrative: IN A CONGESTED RAMP AT JFK I STARTED ENGS AND WITH 2 WING WALKERS AND A SIGNALMAN (3 RAMP PERSONNEL TOTAL) I BEGAN TAXIING SLOWLY BTWN 2 ACFT. THE SIGNALMAN GAVE ME A STRAIGHT AHEAD SIGNAL FOLLOWED BY TURN L, THEN TURN R. MY FO WAS WATCHING HIS SIDE AND GIVING ME INSTRUCTIONS. THE R WING STRUCK THE VENTRAL FIN OF ANOTHER BAE4101 WHEN MY FO SAID 'STOP, I THINK WE HIT!'. I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND THEN THE SIGNALMAN GAVE ME THE 'STOP' SIGNAL. I SHUT DOWN ENGS AND WE DEPLANED THE ACFT. INSPECTION REVEALED THE STATIC WICK OF MY ACFT WAS KNOCKED OFF AND A VERY SMALL DENT WAS IN THE OTHER ACFT. BOTH ACFT WERE CHKED BY MAINT AND RELEASED FOR SVC WITHIN THE HR. I BELIEVE ALL OF US WERE RUSHED TO GET THE FLT OUT ON TIME AND WE LET THIS FACTOR OVERRIDE OUR GOOD JUDGEMENT. ALSO AS IT WAS A TIGHT FIT BTWN 2 ACFT THE SIGNALMAN IN FRONT MAY HAVE BEEN CONFUSED (DUE TO INEXPERIENCE) FROM SIGNALS HE WAS RECEIVING FROM BOTH WING WALKERS. WE HAVE SINCE CHANGED RAMP PROCS TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

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.

Congested ramp, taxi with wing walkers and signalman, reporter aircraft hit a parked aircraft. Minimal damage.