During a pwrback from gate, a DC9 hits a parked A320 causing damage to both aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	379347
Time
Date	199709
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	379347
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 other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

During pwrback at gate under direction of signal person, aircraft tail struck an A320 parked immediately behind us. Ramp congestion required an immediate turn out of parking. While in the turn, a signal was given to apply forward thrust. Aircraft then struck another aircraft at very slow speed. I believe the signal person was trying to maneuver aircraft too close to one another to be safe. Emergency stop signals were not used when aircraft were too close. Taxi with reverse and pwrbacks should be done only in good WX with very large margins of space between other objects. The crew is essentially under the control of the signal person as no one can see behind the aircraft from inside.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING A PWRBACK FROM GATE, A DC9 HITS A PARKED A320 CAUSING DAMAGE TO BOTH ACFT.

Narrative: DURING PWRBACK AT GATE UNDER DIRECTION OF SIGNAL PERSON, ACFT TAIL STRUCK AN A320 PARKED IMMEDIATELY BEHIND US. RAMP CONGESTION REQUIRED AN IMMEDIATE TURN OUT OF PARKING. WHILE IN THE TURN, A SIGNAL WAS GIVEN TO APPLY FORWARD THRUST. ACFT THEN STRUCK ANOTHER ACFT AT VERY SLOW SPD. I BELIEVE THE SIGNAL PERSON WAS TRYING TO MANEUVER ACFT TOO CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER TO BE SAFE. EMER STOP SIGNALS WERE NOT USED WHEN ACFT WERE TOO CLOSE. TAXI WITH REVERSE AND PWRBACKS SHOULD BE DONE ONLY IN GOOD WX WITH VERY LARGE MARGINS OF SPACE BTWN OTHER OBJECTS. THE CREW IS ESSENTIALLY UNDER THE CTL OF THE SIGNAL PERSON AS NO ONE CAN SEE BEHIND THE ACFT FROM INSIDE.

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.