A DC9 cleared to taxi after pushback struck a parked B737- 200 incurring damage to both aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	380230
Time
Date	199709
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu
State Reference	NC
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	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	380230
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	380232
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On sep/tue/97, we struck the tail of a B737 with the tail of our DC9 on taxi out. Minor damage was incurred. Our aircraft tail number was xyz and the flight call sign was air carrier XXX scheduled to depart rdu for pit on sep/tue/97. The location of the aircraft was at gate zz at rdu. There was an air carrier B757 parked to our left at gate Y and an air carrier B737 parked to our right at gate X. The ramp area was congested and parking was tight. The pushback from the gate was conducted using normal procedures and communications. The tug operator pushed us straight back then turned us 'tail north' with the tail of our aircraft behind the tail section of the air carrier B737. After the pushback was completed, we set the brakes and accomplished all checklists, after starting engines. Upon finishing the checklists we acknowledged a 'thumbs up' signal from the wing walker and were waved off. We received taxi clearance from ground control and a left turn out of our position onto the taxiway was initiated. After just a few ft into the turn we struck the tail section of the air carrier B737 with our horizontal stabilizer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 CLRED TO TAXI AFTER PUSHBACK STRUCK A PARKED B737- 200 INCURRING DAMAGE TO BOTH ACFT.

Narrative: ON SEP/TUE/97, WE STRUCK THE TAIL OF A B737 WITH THE TAIL OF OUR DC9 ON TAXI OUT. MINOR DAMAGE WAS INCURRED. OUR ACFT TAIL NUMBER WAS XYZ AND THE FLT CALL SIGN WAS ACR XXX SCHEDULED TO DEPART RDU FOR PIT ON SEP/TUE/97. THE LOCATION OF THE ACFT WAS AT GATE ZZ AT RDU. THERE WAS AN ACR B757 PARKED TO OUR L AT GATE Y AND AN ACR B737 PARKED TO OUR R AT GATE X. THE RAMP AREA WAS CONGESTED AND PARKING WAS TIGHT. THE PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE WAS CONDUCTED USING NORMAL PROCS AND COMS. THE TUG OPERATOR PUSHED US STRAIGHT BACK THEN TURNED US 'TAIL NORTH' WITH THE TAIL OF OUR ACFT BEHIND THE TAIL SECTION OF THE ACR B737. AFTER THE PUSHBACK WAS COMPLETED, WE SET THE BRAKES AND ACCOMPLISHED ALL CHKLISTS, AFTER STARTING ENGS. UPON FINISHING THE CHKLISTS WE ACKNOWLEDGED A 'THUMBS UP' SIGNAL FROM THE WING WALKER AND WERE WAVED OFF. WE RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC FROM GND CTL AND A L TURN OUT OF OUR POS ONTO THE TXWY WAS INITIATED. AFTER JUST A FEW FT INTO THE TURN WE STRUCK THE TAIL SECTION OF THE ACR B737 WITH OUR HORIZ STABILIZER.

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.