Narrative:

As I turned northbound on taxiway south, a sweeper vehicle working the area cleared the taxiway to allow me to pass. After I had taxied by, the driver of the sweeper truck got upset saying that my wingtip had passed over his vehicle. I feel and felt at the time that this vehicle presented no safety problem for my aircraft. Since he maneuvered to get out of my way I assumed he would choose a spot where he would not scare himself. I knew I would clear him easily and my first officer felt the same way. Ground control offered us no information about this vehicle. What can be learned from this? Ramp vehicle operators should be taught not to hesitate to get on the radio immediately if they feel the potential for a collision exists. This person got on the radio about 30 seconds after I had passed by him.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARPT SWEEPER VEHICLE CLRED TXWY FOR RPTR ACFT TO PASS, BUT THEN COMPLAINED WHEN THE ACFT WING PASSED OVERHEAD. FLC KNEW THAT WINGTIP WOULD CLR VEHICLE.

Narrative: AS I TURNED NBOUND ON TXWY S, A SWEEPER VEHICLE WORKING THE AREA CLRED THE TXWY TO ALLOW ME TO PASS. AFTER I HAD TAXIED BY, THE DRIVER OF THE SWEEPER TRUCK GOT UPSET SAYING THAT MY WINGTIP HAD PASSED OVER HIS VEHICLE. I FEEL AND FELT AT THE TIME THAT THIS VEHICLE PRESENTED NO SAFETY PROB FOR MY ACFT. SINCE HE MANEUVERED TO GET OUT OF MY WAY I ASSUMED HE WOULD CHOOSE A SPOT WHERE HE WOULD NOT SCARE HIMSELF. I KNEW I WOULD CLR HIM EASILY AND MY FO FELT THE SAME WAY. GND CTL OFFERED US NO INFO ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. WHAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM THIS? RAMP VEHICLE OPERATORS SHOULD BE TAUGHT NOT TO HESITATE TO GET ON THE RADIO IMMEDIATELY IF THEY FEEL THE POTENTIAL FOR A COLLISION EXISTS. THIS PERSON GOT ON THE RADIO ABOUT 30 SECONDS AFTER I HAD PASSED BY HIM.

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.