Narrative:

A normal day of our operation at our airline includes pwring out of our gates. 3 aircraft that day, in extremely close proximity, with my aircraft being in the middle, is a normal and everyday occurrence. After starting engines and completing after start checks, we received the 'all clear' ready to taxi from our marshaller, an experienced line mechanic. I made my usual visual scan and did not notice ramp personnel and equipment at the gate next to me. As usual if it looks secured, we are allowed to continue while others may be loading. That day with a heavy 104000 pound aircraft and a strong tailwind condition, I proceeded my tight 180 degree turn, using our company recommended minimum thrust setting of 2000 pounds per engine. It was a very slow but continual turn, never needing more power (thrust) to make it around. Upon returning from my round trip one and a half hours later, did I discover through the 'grapevine' that aircraft cleaners were telling my #1 flight attendant that 'ha, ha, your captain is an aircraft killer.' apparently my minimum thrust departure had caught a large luggage cart with 5 bags on it, and with its side curtain acting like a sail, it went flying into the aircraft next to mine. It was also discovered that the cart's brakes had failed and weren't working. That damaged aircraft was down for 3 days because of the hole it had received. Solutions are many and obvious -- primarily, terminal gate design and better maintained luggage carts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPT LEARNS AFTER THE FACT THAT HIS PWR BACK CAUSED A BAGGAGE CART TO BE BLOWN INTO A PARKED ACFT. DAMAGE GNDS THE ACFT.

Narrative: A NORMAL DAY OF OUR OP AT OUR AIRLINE INCLUDES PWRING OUT OF OUR GATES. 3 ACFT THAT DAY, IN EXTREMELY CLOSE PROX, WITH MY ACFT BEING IN THE MIDDLE, IS A NORMAL AND EVERYDAY OCCURRENCE. AFTER STARTING ENGS AND COMPLETING AFTER START CHKS, WE RECEIVED THE 'ALL CLR' READY TO TAXI FROM OUR MARSHALLER, AN EXPERIENCED LINE MECH. I MADE MY USUAL VISUAL SCAN AND DID NOT NOTICE RAMP PERSONNEL AND EQUIP AT THE GATE NEXT TO ME. AS USUAL IF IT LOOKS SECURED, WE ARE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE WHILE OTHERS MAY BE LOADING. THAT DAY WITH A HVY 104000 LB ACFT AND A STRONG TAILWIND CONDITION, I PROCEEDED MY TIGHT 180 DEG TURN, USING OUR COMPANY RECOMMENDED MINIMUM THRUST SETTING OF 2000 LBS PER ENG. IT WAS A VERY SLOW BUT CONTINUAL TURN, NEVER NEEDING MORE PWR (THRUST) TO MAKE IT AROUND. UPON RETURNING FROM MY ROUND TRIP ONE AND A HALF HRS LATER, DID I DISCOVER THROUGH THE 'GRAPEVINE' THAT ACFT CLEANERS WERE TELLING MY #1 FLT ATTENDANT THAT 'HA, HA, YOUR CAPT IS AN ACFT KILLER.' APPARENTLY MY MINIMUM THRUST DEP HAD CAUGHT A LARGE LUGGAGE CART WITH 5 BAGS ON IT, AND WITH ITS SIDE CURTAIN ACTING LIKE A SAIL, IT WENT FLYING INTO THE ACFT NEXT TO MINE. IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE CART'S BRAKES HAD FAILED AND WEREN'T WORKING. THAT DAMAGED ACFT WAS DOWN FOR 3 DAYS BECAUSE OF THE HOLE IT HAD RECEIVED. SOLUTIONS ARE MANY AND OBVIOUS -- PRIMARILY, TERMINAL GATE DESIGN AND BETTER MAINTAINED LUGGAGE CARTS.

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.