Narrative:

We were returning from a trip to ewr. I am a first officer on an ATR42 for air carrier X. As we were taxiing in to the ramp, a B757 was pushing back from the gate, so we asked ramp control if we could come in the back way. As we proceeded with ramp's permission, captain asked if we had clearance. We were on the yellow line, however, there was a moveable light that air carrier Y cargo workers were using that was over their yellow line. We also were not using headsets because mine failed on the approach, and I could not hear anything with them. It was VFR, so we continued without them. When asked by the captain if we were clear, I responded 'it's going to be close, you might want to swing out to the left.' I also motioned with my thumb to go left. Because we were not wearing headsets, the captain did not hear my comment and thought I gave the 'thumbs up.' he continued and struck the light, damaging the navigation light cover, horn, and static wick. No one was hurt. In fact, I don't think any of the passenger knew. The experienced flight attendant did not. This whole thing could have been avoided if the ramp workers put the light in the right spot (behind the line), or if both of us did not assume that staying on the yellow taxi line would assure us clearance, or if I spoke louder or hit the brakes.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN ATR42 STRUCK A MOVEABLE LIGHT POST DURING TAXI TO PARKING CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE R WING NAV LIGHT COVER, HORN AND STATIC WICK.

Narrative: WE WERE RETURNING FROM A TRIP TO EWR. I AM A FO ON AN ATR42 FOR ACR X. AS WE WERE TAXIING IN TO THE RAMP, A B757 WAS PUSHING BACK FROM THE GATE, SO WE ASKED RAMP CTL IF WE COULD COME IN THE BACK WAY. AS WE PROCEEDED WITH RAMP'S PERMISSION, CAPT ASKED IF WE HAD CLRNC. WE WERE ON THE YELLOW LINE, HOWEVER, THERE WAS A MOVEABLE LIGHT THAT ACR Y CARGO WORKERS WERE USING THAT WAS OVER THEIR YELLOW LINE. WE ALSO WERE NOT USING HEADSETS BECAUSE MINE FAILED ON THE APCH, AND I COULD NOT HEAR ANYTHING WITH THEM. IT WAS VFR, SO WE CONTINUED WITHOUT THEM. WHEN ASKED BY THE CAPT IF WE WERE CLR, I RESPONDED 'IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SWING OUT TO THE L.' I ALSO MOTIONED WITH MY THUMB TO GO L. BECAUSE WE WERE NOT WEARING HEADSETS, THE CAPT DID NOT HEAR MY COMMENT AND THOUGHT I GAVE THE 'THUMBS UP.' HE CONTINUED AND STRUCK THE LIGHT, DAMAGING THE NAV LIGHT COVER, HORN, AND STATIC WICK. NO ONE WAS HURT. IN FACT, I DON'T THINK ANY OF THE PAX KNEW. THE EXPERIENCED FLT ATTENDANT DID NOT. THIS WHOLE THING COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE RAMP WORKERS PUT THE LIGHT IN THE RIGHT SPOT (BEHIND THE LINE), OR IF BOTH OF US DID NOT ASSUME THAT STAYING ON THE YELLOW TAXI LINE WOULD ASSURE US CLRNC, OR IF I SPOKE LOUDER OR HIT THE BRAKES.

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.