Narrative:

While taxiing out of our parking space on the GA ramp at phl, the left wingtip of our aircraft struck a ground vehicle (courier van). As we taxied forward out of our spot, a spotter gave us a 'thumbs up' indicating we were clear of the van. As the spotter passed behind our line of sight, our attention became focused on aircraft parked in front of us. Before we had exited the ramp company called us back. When we parked several people walked up and looked at the tip. I wasn't aware of striking the van until this time. Even though the van had a dent in the fender, I did a thorough visual inspection of the tip tank and fin and the only damage I found was some paint scratched off the fin. The fin nor the tip tank was dented or damaged so I elected to depart. There were several factors that contributed to this mishap. First, it was night with very poor lighting. Second, and more important, was the inexperience of our spotter. He was not aware that as we made our turn, the back of the tip tank would swing wider than its current position. Since this I have made sure to park well clear of all obstacles and to insist all vehicles have been moved so that we can taxi without relying on spotters.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LR35 TAXI FROM THE CARGO AREA WITH MARSHALLER GUIDING. L WINGTIP CONTACTED GND VEHICLE. COMPANY CALLED ACFT BACK TO THE GATE TO INSPECT THE WINGTIP. NO DAMAGE FOUND EXCEPT PAINT REMOVED. GND VEHICLE HAS SUSTAINED A DENT. FLT CONTINUED.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING OUT OF OUR PARKING SPACE ON THE GA RAMP AT PHL, THE L WINGTIP OF OUR ACFT STRUCK A GND VEHICLE (COURIER VAN). AS WE TAXIED FORWARD OUT OF OUR SPOT, A SPOTTER GAVE US A 'THUMBS UP' INDICATING WE WERE CLR OF THE VAN. AS THE SPOTTER PASSED BEHIND OUR LINE OF SIGHT, OUR ATTN BECAME FOCUSED ON ACFT PARKED IN FRONT OF US. BEFORE WE HAD EXITED THE RAMP COMPANY CALLED US BACK. WHEN WE PARKED SEVERAL PEOPLE WALKED UP AND LOOKED AT THE TIP. I WASN'T AWARE OF STRIKING THE VAN UNTIL THIS TIME. EVEN THOUGH THE VAN HAD A DENT IN THE FENDER, I DID A THOROUGH VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TIP TANK AND FIN AND THE ONLY DAMAGE I FOUND WAS SOME PAINT SCRATCHED OFF THE FIN. THE FIN NOR THE TIP TANK WAS DENTED OR DAMAGED SO I ELECTED TO DEPART. THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS MISHAP. FIRST, IT WAS NIGHT WITH VERY POOR LIGHTING. SECOND, AND MORE IMPORTANT, WAS THE INEXPERIENCE OF OUR SPOTTER. HE WAS NOT AWARE THAT AS WE MADE OUR TURN, THE BACK OF THE TIP TANK WOULD SWING WIDER THAN ITS CURRENT POS. SINCE THIS I HAVE MADE SURE TO PARK WELL CLR OF ALL OBSTACLES AND TO INSIST ALL VEHICLES HAVE BEEN MOVED SO THAT WE CAN TAXI WITHOUT RELYING ON SPOTTERS.

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.